Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a unanimous Supreme Court victory on Thursday, ensuring that convicted child sexual abuser Danny Rivers remains imprisoned.
The decision blocks Rivers’ attempt to challenge his state convictions through federal court. Rivers had been convicted of sexually abusing his two daughters, along with charges of indecency with a child and possession of child pornography.
The ruling strengthens barriers against prisoners using procedural tactics to overturn state convictions. Rivers claimed wrongful conviction and sought release through a federal habeas corpus petition, despite having filed an unsuccessful petition years earlier.
Rivers argued his previous petition shouldn’t count because his appeal hadn’t concluded. The Supreme Court unanimously rejected this reasoning.
“In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court sided with Texas and ensured that dangerous convicted criminals will not be able to use procedural games to escape justice,” Paxton said in a statement. “This is a great win for Texas and the rest of America because it makes it harder for prisoners to weaponize federal courts to attack their state convictions.”
The justices emphasized Congress’s intent to promote finality in criminal cases. They wrote that Rivers’ “policy arguments do not move the needle in our analysis.”
Rivers’ own attorneys acknowledged he admitted to sexually abusing his daughters for years. Still, he pursued federal relief, claiming procedural errors.
“Rivers was convicted of unbelievably heinous sexual abuse of his own children, and he will face the consequences of his actions,” Paxton added.
The decision clarifies when prisoners can file successive federal challenges to state convictions. It closes a potential loophole that could have allowed multiple petitions based on pending appeals.
The Supreme Court’s opinion can be found here.