Terms Used In Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 930.4

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

            A. Unless required in the interest of justice, any claim for relief which was fully litigated in an appeal from the proceedings leading to the judgment of conviction and sentence shall not be considered.

            B. If the application alleges a claim of which the petitioner had knowledge and inexcusably failed to raise in the proceedings leading to conviction, the court shall deny relief.

            C. If the application alleges a claim which the petitioner raised in the trial court and inexcusably failed to pursue on appeal, the court shall deny relief.

            D. A successive application shall be dismissed if it fails to raise a new or different claim.

            E. A successive application shall be dismissed if it raises a new or different claim that was inexcusably omitted from a prior application.

            F. If the court considers dismissing an application for failure of the petitioner to raise the claim in the proceedings leading to conviction, failure to urge the claim on appeal, or failure to include the claim in a prior application, the court shall order the petitioner to state reasons for his failure. If the court finds that the failure was excusable, it shall consider the merits of the claim.

            G. Notwithstanding any provision of this Title to the contrary, the state may affirmatively waive any procedural objection pursuant to this Article. Such waiver shall be express and in writing and filed by the state into the district court record.

            Added by Acts 1980, No. 429, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Acts 2013, No. 251, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 2014; Acts 2021, No. 104, §1.