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Shane Stevens v. Colorado
IFP petition · Court of Appeals of Colorado, No. 24CA0532 · judgment January 23, 2025
Question presented
Whether a state postconviction scheme that bars relief for a guilty plea induced by a sentence later declared void ab initio—on the grounds of procedural default or mootness—violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Whether a defendant is constitutionally entitled to postconviction relief—including vacatur of the guilty plea—where the plea was induced by an illegal sentencing scheme later declared void, and the sentence has already been fully served, consistent with the requirements that guilty pleas be knowing, intelligent, and voluntary under Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238 (1969), and Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742 (1970). Whether the Constitution permits states to enforce procedural bars and mootness doctrines to deny relief from convictions based on guilty pleas that included sentencing terms void under state law, creating a nationwide conflict regarding the scope of constitutional protections for plea-based convictions.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Shane Stevens
For respondent
Jillian Joy Price
Colorado Attorney General's Office
Proceedings
- Mar 10 2026Case considered closed.
- Jan 14 2026Application (25A573) granted by Justice Gorsuch extending the time to file until January 3, 2026.
- Dec 03 2025Application (25A573) for a further extension of time within which to comply with the order of October 14, 2025, submitted to Justice Gorsuch.
- Nov 17 2025Application (25A573) granted by Justice Gorsuch extending the time to file until December 4, 2025.
- Nov 03 2025Application (25A573) for an extension of time within which to comply with the order of October 14, 2025, submitted to Justice Gorsuch.
- Oct 14 2025The motion of petitioner for leave to proceed in forma pauperis is denied. Petitioner is allowed until November 4, 2025, within which to pay the docketing fee required by Rule 38(a) and to submit a petition in compliance with Rule 33.1 of the Rules of this Court.
- Sep 25 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/10/2025.
- Sep 22 2025Waiver of right of respondent State of Colorado to respond filed.
- Jul 28 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due October 10, 2025)