In 1996 , following the Oklahoma City bombing , Congress passed ( 91 – 8 in the Senate , 293 – 133 in the House ) and President Clinton signed into law the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 ( AEDPA ) . The AEDPA was intended to " deter terrorism , provide justice for victims , provide for an effective death penalty , and for other purposes . " The AEDPA introduced one of the few limitations on '' habeas corpus '' . For the first time , its Section 101 set a statute of limitations of one year following conviction for prisoners to seek the writ . The Act limits the power of federal judges to grant relief unless the state court 's adjudication of the claim has resulted in a decision that
Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
Habeas corpus in the United States