---
title: "Finality of determination"
citation: "28 U.S.C. § 2244"
authority_id: "AUTH-USC-28-2244"
authority_type: "statute"
jurisdiction: "federal_nationwide"
precedential_status: "binding_enacted_positive_law_title"
official_url: "https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/28/2244"
url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-USC-28-2244/"
legal_review: "2026-08-24"
links_checked: "2026-10-15"
links_available: 1
links_checked_count: 1
license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

# 28 U.S.C. § 2244

## Propositions supported

- Subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (d) expressly address state-prisoner applications under § 2254 or state-court judgments.
- Subsection (b)(3) specifies the appellate authorization procedure.
- Subsection (b)(4) requires post-authorization district-court screening under the statute.

## Material limitations

The statute must be read with § 2255(h) and *Bowe v. United States* before applying any § 2244 rule to a federal prisoner's successive § 2255 motion. The thirty-day language in § 2244(b)(3)(D) is recorded as a statutory command; this card does not state a remedy for appellate noncompliance.

## Official source

OLRC preliminary edition, laws in effect August 11, 2026: <https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/28/2244>


## Used in

- [28 U.S.C. §§ 2244 and 2255(h) — Successive-Application Gatekeeping](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/60-post-conviction/2244-2255-successive-gatekeeping.md)
- [Later Section 2255 Filings — Classification and Authorization](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/60-post-conviction/2255-later-filings-classification-and-authorization.md)