Allen v. Thomas

Thompson, Justice.

We granted a certificate of probable cause to appeal in this habeas corpus case, asking the parties to address the following questions:

“1. What is the appropriate procedure for challenging the validity of an agreement between a criminal defendant and a district attorney in which the defendant agrees never to seek any form of relief from life imprisonment?

“2. Can a defendant waive the right to seek any form of *519relief from life imprisonment, including habeas corpus relief, as part of an agreement to plead guilty to criminal charges?”

We answer these questions as follows: A…