STEVE ELLIS KARACSON v. DAVID SHAVER, Warden - Articles

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STEVE ELLIS KARACSON v. DAVID SHAVER, Warden

Posted by: David Lazar on May 20, 2026

Court: 6th Circuit Court (Published Opinions)

Attorneys 1: ARGUED: Bailey Lindsey, Adam B. Murphy, Miles Pulsford, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, New York, New York, for Appellant.

Attorneys 2: ARGUED: Scott R. Shimkus, OFFICE OF THE MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL, Lansing, Michigan, for Appellee.

Attorneys 3: ON BRIEF: Bailey Lindsey, Adam B. Murphy, Miles Pulsford, Daniel S. Harawa, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, New York, New York, for Appellant.

Attorneys 4: ON BRIEF: Scott R. Shimkus, OFFICE OF THE MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL, Lansing, Michigan, for Appellee.

Judge(s): THAPAR, BUSH, and MURPHY, Circuit Judges

Court Appealed: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan at Flint

THAPAR, Circuit Judge. Steve Karacson set fire to his own house. So a Michigan jury convicted him of arson and insurance fraud at a trial where he represented himself. Karacson then petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus, arguing that he didn’t waive his right to counsel. But the district court denied his petition because Michigan state courts reasonably rejected his claim on direct appeal. We affirm.

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