Class v. United States: A Judicial Analysis
Faculty Sponsor
Julia Stronks
Session Type
Traditional Paper Presentation
Research Project Abstract
This original research examines the currently unanswered question: does a guilty plea in criminal procedure always exclude a defendant’s right to appeal, even if the appeal is on constitutional grounds? This question is currently being determined by the Supreme Court in Class v. United States, and will be decided in June. Through an examination of the legal question as well as pertinent precedent, I was able to break down the possible Supreme Court response and it would appear as if the Court is going to rule in favor of Class—a potentially a 6-3 ruling. While my prediction is tentative and limited, I assess the underlying commitments of the justices expressed in their previous decisions. Class v. United States offers itself to be a final answer in a line of cases stretching back to the 70s (The Brady Trilogy). The Court will find itself with the ultimate decision between protecting an individual from a criminal justice system that unjustly infringes on their constitutional rights and protecting a system from losing its credibility and fortification.
Session Number
RS7
Location
Weyerhaeuser 205
Abstract Number
RS7-d
Class v. United States: A Judicial Analysis
Weyerhaeuser 205
This original research examines the currently unanswered question: does a guilty plea in criminal procedure always exclude a defendant’s right to appeal, even if the appeal is on constitutional grounds? This question is currently being determined by the Supreme Court in Class v. United States, and will be decided in June. Through an examination of the legal question as well as pertinent precedent, I was able to break down the possible Supreme Court response and it would appear as if the Court is going to rule in favor of Class—a potentially a 6-3 ruling. While my prediction is tentative and limited, I assess the underlying commitments of the justices expressed in their previous decisions. Class v. United States offers itself to be a final answer in a line of cases stretching back to the 70s (The Brady Trilogy). The Court will find itself with the ultimate decision between protecting an individual from a criminal justice system that unjustly infringes on their constitutional rights and protecting a system from losing its credibility and fortification.
