Opinion ID: 768203
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: General Principles Applied To Lines

Text: 43 We conclude that Lines did not fairly present any of his claims to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Although we agree with Lines that it would now be futile for him to return to state court and attempt to exhaust his claims, we do not agree with him that a federal court may therefore address his claims on the merits. Rather, Lines' claims are procedurally defaulted because he is barred by state law from seeking further review of his claims in state court. Since Lines can not demonstrate cause and prejudice for the default, and since refraining from addressing the merits of his claims will not result in a fundamental miscarriage of justice, his petition should have been dismissed with prejudice. Although Judge Debevoise concludes in his dissent that our holding in Doctor requires that we excuse Lines' default, we conclude that Doctor is inapposite and does not control our analysis here.