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Robert Bell v. Administrator, East Jersey State Prison, et al.

IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, No. 25-1947 · judgment August 21, 2025


Certiorari denied · January 26, 2026

Question presented

I. IS THE RIGHT TO EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL CLAUSE VIOLATED WHEN DEFENSE COUNSEL FAILS TO INVESTIGATE, AND SEEK TO OBTAIN AN EXPERT IN OBVIOUS DNA SEXUAL ASSUALT CASE, TO REBUT THE STATE’S EXPERT, WHERE, PETITIONER SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT COUNSEL DO SO, AND DID NOT; WHETHER THIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A DNA EXPERT WAS AN ERROR SO SERIOUS, PREJUDICED PETITIONER’S DEFENSE, AND SIXTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL BECAUSE COUNSEL FAILED TO PROVIDE PETITIONER WITH A COMPLETE DEFENSE?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Robert Bell

For respondent

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Jan 26 2026
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Jan 08 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/23/2026.
  3. Nov 18 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 26, 2025)