When individuals are convicted for crimes under state law , those individuals have the right to challenge the constitutionality of their convictions in federal court by petitioning for a writ of habeas corpus . This right was codified by the Habeas Corpus Act of 1867 , and in 1953 , the United States Supreme Court held that even when a state court rules against a prisoner , that individual still has the right to seek de novo review of their constitutional claims in federal court . However , in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing , congress passed the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act ( " AEDPA " ) in 1996 to modify federal habeas corpus procedures . Under the AEDPA 's new standards , when a prisoner 's claim has been adjudicated in state court , that individual 's petition for habeas corpus shall not be granted unless the state court decision " was contrary to , or involved an unreasonable application of , clearly established Federal law , as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States " . In 2007 , the United States Supreme Court held that , as a " precondition " for relief under the AEDPA , habeas petitioners must demonstrate evidence that a state court 's error resulted in " actual prejudice "
Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
Davis v. Ayala