Whitton v. Dixon · ¶38

Second, the Eleventh Circuit was not even allowed to rule for Whitton regardless of the evidence because he failed to exhaust this claim before the state courts. Federal courts cannot grant habeas relief, no matter how meritorious the underlying claim, unless “the applicant has exhausted the remedies available in” state court, if such remedies are available and adequate. § 2254(b)(1)(A). Whitton does not deny that state-court remedies were available. Yet, he never sought state remedies for his claim based on Ozio's characterization of his criminal record.

preliminary print (page proof)
Source edition
Passage preview. Read in context for the complete text, notes and references.