The federal one-year deadline (AEDPA), explained
The short version
A federal law called AEDPA gives most state prisoners one year to ask a federal court to review their conviction. The clock usually starts when the conviction becomes final — often when the time to appeal runs out — and missing it usually closes the federal courthouse door for good.
Why people miss it
The clock is famously easy to miscalculate. It can pause while a properly filed state writ is pending, but it does not pause while a case merely feels unresolved, and time spent deciding, saving money, or waiting for a lawyer to call back all counts against the year.
What this means practically
Anyone thinking about post-conviction options is also, whether they know it or not, managing this clock. Knowing the key dates in the record — when the judgment was entered, when the appeal ended — is the raw material for calculating it, and it is a calculation worth having a lawyer confirm.
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice, and your loved one’s case may be different. A licensed attorney is the right person to apply any of this to a real case.