United States Ninth Circuit

Grant of habeas corpus relief for a defendant convicted of second degree murder is affirmed where, under 28 U.S.C. section 2254(d)(1), the state court's failure to interpret Buckley's plea agreement according to California contract law resulted in a decision that was contrary to clearly established Supreme Court law.

Appellate Information

• Decided 03/17/2006
• Published 03/17/2006

Judges

• REINHARDT, Circuit Judge., Before: MARY M. SCHROEDER, Chief Judge, STEPHEN REINHARDT, ALEX KOZINSKI, M. MARGARET McKEOWN, KIM McLANE WARDLAW, RAYMOND C. FISHER, RICHARD A. PAEZ, MARSHA S. BERZON, RICHARD C. TALLMAN, JAY S. BYBEE, and CONSUELO M. CALLAHAN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Allen Bloom, San Diego, CA, for the petitioner-appellee., Bill Lockyer, Attorney General;  Robert R. Anderson, Chief Assistant Attorney General;  Pamela C. Hamanaka, Senior Assistant Attorney General;  Kenneth C. Byrne, Supervising Deputy Attorney General;  Noah P. Hill, Deputy Attorney General;  Los Angeles, CA, for the respondent-appellant.