Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
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
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Case
Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference
Proceedings
- Jan 26 2026Petition DENIED.
- Jan 08 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/23/2026.
- Nov 18 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 26, 2025)