Opinion ID: 3049057
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: The district court’s denial of habeas relief is reviewed de novo. Barker v. Fleming, 423 F.3d 1085, 1091 (9th Cir. 2005), cert. denied sub nom., Barker v. Spalding, 126 S. Ct. 2041 (2006). Lopez’s appeal is governed by AEDPA. Under AEDPA, this court may not grant a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a person in state custody unless the state’s adjudication of his claim “(1) resulted in a decision that was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of, clearly established Federal law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States; or (2) resulted in a decision that was based on an unreasonable determination of the facts in light of the evidence presented in the State court proceeding.” 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). In assessing whether a state court’s application of law or determination of fact is “unreasonable,” the court cannot simply consider whether it would have reached a different out- 1 The court also issued a COA as to whether Lopez’s claim that his rights were violated when the sentencing court improperly limited the scope of mitigation evidence was procedurally barred. However, Lopez concedes that this second issue is either moot or immaterial since the district court reached the claim on its merits. 7332 LOPEZ v. SCHRIRO come on the same record. Rice v. Collins, 126 S. Ct. 969, 976 (2006) (stating that “[r]easonable minds reviewing the record might disagree about” the ultimate issue is insufficient for habeas relief). Rather, “[t]he ‘unreasonable application’ clause requires the state court decision to be more than incorrect or erroneous.” Lockyer v. Andrade, 538 U.S. 63, 75 (2003) (citing Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 410, 412 (2000)). It requires the decision to be “objectively unreasonable.” Id. (citing Williams, 529 U.S. at 410).