Jay Shawn Johnson v. California (541 U.S. 428)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided May 3, 2004 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 541 U.S. 428 · 124 S. Ct. 1833
- Decided
- May 3, 2004
- Term
- October Term 2003
- Vote
- 9–0
- Issue area
- Judicial Power
- Disposition
- Petition denied or appeal dismissed
- Outcome
- Petitioning party lost
- Ideological direction
- Conservative
Opinion excerpt
Per Curiam. We granted certiorari in this case to review a decision of the Supreme Court of California interpreting Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U. S. 79 (1986). 540 U. S. 1045 (2003). The case was briefed and argued, but we now conclude that we are without jurisdiction in the matter. The California Supreme Court reversed the California Court of Appeal’s decision reversing petitioner’s conviction. 30 Cal. 4th 1302, 71 P. 3d 270 (2003). The Court of Appeal held that petitioner was entitled to relief under People v. Wheeler, 22 Cal. 3d 258, 583 P. 2d 748 (1978), and Batson v. Kentucky, supra. 105 Cal. Rptr. 2d 727 (2001). It also noted petitioner’s separate evidentiary and prosecutorial misconduct claims, App. 87, but did not determine whether those claims would independently support reversal of petitioner’s conviction. The California Supreme Court addressed only the Wheeler/Batson claim, and, after reversing on that ground, remanded “for further proceedings consistent with [its] opinion.” 30 Cal. 4th, at 1328, 71 P. 3d, at 287. Under 28 U. S. C. § 1257, our jurisdiction is limited to review of “[f]inal judgments or decrees rendered by the highest court of a State in which a decision could be had.” In Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn, 420 U. S. 469 (1975), we described four exceptional categories of cases to be regarded as “final” on the federal issue despite the ordering of further…
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