postconviction relief
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Colorado Supreme Court rejects effort to let judges restrict defense lawyers’ work on postconviction claims
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The Colorado Supreme Court clarified on Monday that trial judges cannot restrict defense attorneys from investigating postconviction claims their clients raise when at least one of the claims has merit. Convicted defendants may seek postconviction relief for specific reasons, including that their sentence is illegal, new evidence has come to light or their conviction violated the U.S.…
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Colorado appeals court expands ability for defendants to have postconviction claims investigated
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Colorado’s second-highest court clarified last month that defendants who have at least one credible claim for postconviction relief are entitled to have appointed attorneys consider and investigate all other claims, without a judge imposing restrictions. A three-member panel for the Court of Appeals agreed a judge in El Paso County was wrong to screen a…
