Rivera v. Illinois

Summary

Justice Ginsburg, writing for a unanimous Court, held that a state trial court’s good-faith erroneous denial of a peremptory challenge does not violate federal due process when the defendant receives a fair trial before qualified, unbiased jurors. Because peremptory challenges are not constitutionally required, federal law does not require automatic reversal in these circumstances; states may determine whether the error requires reversal or permits harmless-error review. The Court affirmed the Illinois Supreme Court’s judgment upholding Rivera’s conviction. There were no separate opinions.