Fry v. Pliler

Fry v. Pliler
Decided June 11, 2007
Full case nameFry v. Pliler
Citations551 U.S. 112 (more)
Holding
In AEDPA proceedings, a federal court must assess the prejudicial impact of constitutional error in a state-court criminal trial under the "substantial and injurious effect" standard from Brecht v. Abrahamson, whether or not the state appellate court recognized the error and reviewed it for harmlessness.
Court membership
Chief Justice
John Roberts
Associate Justices
John P. Stevens · Antonin Scalia
Anthony Kennedy · David Souter
Clarence Thomas · Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Stephen Breyer · Samuel Alito
Case opinions
MajorityScalia, joined by Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg (all but Part II–B); Breyer (all but footnote 1 and Part II–B)
Concur/dissentStevens, joined by Souter, Ginsburg; Breyer (in part)
Concur/dissentBreyer
Laws applied
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996

Fry v. Pliler, 551 U.S. 112 (2007), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the court held that in AEDPA proceedings, a federal court must assess the prejudicial impact of constitutional error in a state-court criminal trial under the "substantial and injurious effect" standard from Brecht v. Abrahamson, whether or not the state appellate court recognized the error and reviewed it for harmlessness.