The criminal justice system must maintain an appropriate balance between fairness and finality. On June 17, ACS hosted a panel at the 2006 National Convention to consider how the last decade of habeas corpus restrictions, from the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act to the Graham-Levin Amendment, have affected this balance and the administration of justice generally. Panelists examined the overarching goals of our criminal justice system; how the writ of habeas corpus fits into that system; whether recent limits placed on habeas proceedings undermine or serve those goals; and how to ensure that inmates are able to avail themselves of their rights under the U.S. Constitution.

From left to right, panelists included:

• Ted Frank, American Enterprise Institute
• Judge Virginia Phillips, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• Judge Boyce Martin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director, Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama
• Deborah Pearlstein, Director, Human Rights First, U.S. Law and Security Program