Steven L. McArthur v. State of Arkansas

Summary

The court affirmed the denial of McArthur’s habeas petition and denied his motion for default judgment. It held that his actual-innocence, trial-error, prosecutorial-misconduct, due-process, and related claims were not cognizable in habeas proceedings because they did not establish facial invalidity of the judgment or lack of trial-court jurisdiction. The court also held that the judgment was not facially illegal for omitting a separate aggravated-robbery conviction, that an alleged speedy-trial violation did not eliminate jurisdiction, and that no hearing was required without probable cause for issuance of the writ.