Legal Definitions - procedural-default doctrine

The procedural-default doctrine is a principle that states that a federal court cannot review the merits of a habeas corpus petition if a state court has refused to review the complaint due to the petitioner's failure to follow reasonable state-court procedures.

For example, if a person is in prison and files a habeas corpus petition claiming that their constitutional rights were violated during their trial, but they did not follow the proper procedures for filing the petition in the state court, the federal court cannot review the petition. The petitioner must first exhaust all available state court remedies before seeking relief in federal court.

This doctrine is based on the idea that state courts should have the opportunity to correct any errors before a federal court intervenes. It also encourages petitioners to follow proper procedures in state court before seeking relief in federal court.