Opinion ID: 2981343
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Diligence in Developing Claim

Text: Under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, a federal court shall not hold an evidentiary hearing on a claim for which the petitioner “failed to develop the factual basis” in state court unless the petitioner meets certain standards required by the Act. See 28 U.S.C. § 2254(e)(2). However, where a petitioner has been diligent in attempting to develop the facts of his claim in state court and is not at fault for the failure to successfully do so, “the prisoner has not ‘failed to develop’ the facts under § 2254(e)(2)’s opening clause, and he will be excused from showing compliance with the balance of the subsection’s requirements.” Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 420, 437 (2000). Where a petitioner was diligent in developing his claim in state court, “the decision to grant an evidentiary hearing is ‘generally left to the sound discretion of district courts.’” Ata v. Scutt, 662 F.3d 736, 742 (6th Cir. 2011) (quoting Schriro v. Landrigan, 550 U.S. 465, 473 (2007)). “Diligence for purposes of [the Act] depends upon whether the prisoner made a reasonable No. 09-2258 Plummer v. Jackson Page 8 attempt, in light of the information available at the time, to investigate and pursue claims in the state court.” Robinson, 663 F.3d at 824 (internal quotation marks omitted). Plummer made repeated requests for an evidentiary hearing in the Michigan courts, including making a motion on direct appeal to remand to the trial court for a hearing on ineffectiveness of counsel. Plummer also submitted in state court a supporting merits brief and affidavits attempting to establish his counsel’s deficient performance. Thus, we conclude that Plummer made a reasonable attempt to investigate and pursue his claim in the Michigan courts; he has acted with diligence and his request for an evidentiary hearing is not subject to the section 2254(e)(2) limitations. See, e.g., Bowling v. Parker, 344 F.3d 487, 511-12 (6th Cir. 2003).