Collins v. Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• holding that cumulative error is a standalone appellate claim premised on the prejudice caused by identifiable trial errors
• holding that cumulative error is a standalone appellate claim premised on the prejudice caused by cumulative effect of multiple identified trial errors
• explaining that, to prevail on such a claim, the errors in question, when considered together, must have “had a substantial and injurious effect or influence in determining the jury’s verdict”
• stating that “[a] claim is procedurally defaulted if the petitioner failed to exhaust that claim in state court and if state procedures prohibit the petitioner from later presenting the claim in state court” (citations omitted)
• observing that “cursory statements” constitute an adjudication on the merits
• joining several other courts in holding “that a claim of cumulative error must be presented to the state courts before it may provide a basis for habeas relief”

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).