wilkinson director ohio department rehabilitation correction et al dotson et argued december decided march respondents dotson johnson ohio state prisoners parole officials determined dotson eligible parole johnson suitable parole brought separate actions declaratory injunctive relief claiming ohio parole procedures violate federal constitution case federal district concluded action lie prisoner seek relief habeas corpus suit sixth circuit ultimately consolidated cases reversed finding actions proceed held state prisoners may bring action declaratory injunctive relief challenging constitutionality state parole procedures need seek relief exclusively federal habeas corpus statutes pp ohio argues unsuccessfully respondents claims may brought federal habeas similar state proceedings state prisoner use action challenge fact duration confinement preiser rodriguez respondents lawsuits effect collaterally attack confinements duration argument jumps true premise likelihood prisoners hope suits help bring earlier release faulty conclusion habeas sole avenue relief case law makes clear connection constitutionality prisoners parole proceedings release confinement tenuous achieve ohio legal objective preiser edwards balisok developed exception otherwise broad scope actions lie within core habeas corpus preiser supra state prisoner requests present future release section remains available procedural challenges success necessarily spell immediate speedier release prisoner wolff mcdonnell prisoner use obtain relief success necessarily demonstrate invalidity confinement duration heck humphrey respondents claims cognizable fall within implicit habeas exception seek relief render invalid state procedures used deny parole eligibility dotson parole suitability johnson see wolff supra neither prisoner seeks injunction ordering immediate speedier release community see preiser supra wolff favorable judgment necessarily imply invalidity conviction sentence heck supra success dotson mean immediate release shorter stay prison means new eligibility review may speed consideration new parole application success johnson means new parole hearing parole authorities may discretion decline shorten prison term neither prisoner claim necessarily spell speedier release neither lies core habeas corpus preiser supra finally prisoners claims future relief successful necessarily imply invalidity confinement shorten duration yet distant core see balisok supra pp ohio additional arguments respondents actions lie favorable judgment necessarily imply invalidity sentence heck supra emphasis added sentences include particular state parole procedures decision violate principles comity opening door federal without prior exhaustion remedies persuasive pp affirmed remanded breyer delivered opinion rehnquist stevens scalia souter thomas ginsburg joined scalia filed concurring opinion thomas joined kennedy filed dissenting opinion reginald wilkinson director ohio department rehabilitation correction et petitioners william dwight dotson et al writ certiorari appeals sixth circuit march justice breyer delivered opinion two state prisoners brought action claiming ohio state parole procedures violate federal constitution prisoners seek declaratory injunctive relief question us whether may bring action rev stat civil rights act whether must instead seek relief exclusively federal habeas corpus statutes conclude actions may brought two respondents william dotson rogerico johnson currently serving lengthy terms ohio prisons dotson began serve life sentence parole board rejected first parole request parole officer reviewing dotson records year determined receive consideration parole least five years reaching conclusion dotson parole eligibility officer used parole guidelines first adopted dotson began serve term dotson claims retroactive application new harsher guidelines preguidelines case violates constitution ex post facto due process clauses seeks declaration effect well permanent injunction ordering prison officials grant immediate parole hearing accordance statutory laws administrative rules place committed crimes app dotson complaint prospective declaratory injunctive relief johnson began serve prison term parole board considered rejected first parole request finding unsuitable release making determination board applied new guidelines johnson claims application new harsher guidelines preguidelines case violated constitution ex post facto clause also alleges parole board proceedings members present denying adequate opportunity speak violated constitution due process clause johnson complaint seeks new parole hearing conducted constitutionally proper procedures injunction ordering state comply constitutional due process ex post facto requirements future prisoners brought actions federal case federal district concluded action lie prisoner seek relief habeas corpus suit dotson wilkinson cv nd ohio johnson ghee cv nd ohio july prisoner appealed appeals sixth circuit ultimately consolidated two appeals heard cases en banc found actions proceed reversed lower courts ohio parole officials petitioned certiorari granted review ii held prisoner state custody use action challenge fact duration confinement preiser rodriguez see also wolff mcdonnell heck humphrey edwards balisok must seek federal habeas corpus relief appropriate state relief instead ohio points inmates cases attack proceedings dotson proceedings johnson believe victory claims lead speedier release prison consequently ohio argues prisoners lawsuits effect collaterally attack duration confinement hence claim may brought habeas corpus action problem ohio argument lies jump true premise likelihood prisoners hope actions help bring earlier release faulty conclusion habeas sole avenue relief consideration case law makes clear connection constitutionality prisoners parole proceedings release confinement tenuous achieve ohio legal objective initially addressed relationship federal habeas statutes preiser rodriguez supra case state prisoners brought civil rights actions attacking constitutionality prison disciplinary proceedings led deprivation credits conceded language literally covers claims see authorizing claims alleging deprivation constitutional rights every person acting color state law noted language federal habeas statutes applies well see permitting claims person held custody violation constitution moreover observed language habeas statute specific writ history makes clear traditionally accepted specific instrument obtain release unlawful confinement preiser considerations linguistic specificity history comity led find implicit exception otherwise broad scope actions lie within core habeas corpus preiser defining scope exception concluded action lie state prisoner challenges fact duration confinement seeks either immediate release prison shortening term confinement action restoration credits effect demands immediate release shorter period detention attacks duration physical confinement thus lies core habeas corpus therefore held preiser prisoners pursue claims wolff mcdonnell supra elaborated contours habeas corpus core preiser state prisoners brought action challenging prison officials revocation credits means constitutionally deficient disciplinary proceedings held prisoners use obtain restoration credits preiser held injunction restoring good time improperly taken foreclosed inmates use obtain declaration predicate requested damages award disciplinary procedures invalid ibid also seek way ancillary relief otherwise proper injunction enjoining prospective enforcement invalid prison regulations ibid emphasis added neither case victory prisoners necessarily meant immediate release shorter period incarceration prisoners attacked wrong procedures wrong result denial credits heck supra discussing wolff heck considered different related circumstance state prisoner brought action damages challenging conduct state officials prisoner claimed unconstitutionally caused conviction improperly investigating crime destroying evidence pointed hoary principle civil tort actions appropriate vehicles challenging validity outstanding criminal judgments held establishing basis damages claim necessarily demonstrates invalidity conviction action lie unless conviction sentence already invalidated added action even successful demonstrate invalidity outstanding criminal judgment action allowed proceed ibid finally edwards balisok supra returned prison disciplinary procedure context kind addressed previously preiser wolff balisok sought declaration procedures employed state officials deprive credits violated due process damages use unconstitutional procedures injunction prevent future violations applying heck found habeas sole vehicle inmate constitutional challenge insofar prisoner sought declaratory relief money damages principal procedural defect complained namely deceit bias part decisionmaker established necessarily imply invalidity deprivation balisok credits hence success prisoner claim money damages accompanying claim declaratory relief necessarily imply invalidity punishment imposed nonetheless prisoner claim injunction barring future unconstitutional procedures fall within habeas exclusive domain rdinarily prayer prospective relief imply invalidity previous loss credits ibid throughout legal journey preiser balisok focused need ensure state prisoners use habeas corpus similar state remedies seek invalidate duration confinement either directly injunction compelling speedier release indirectly judicial determination necessarily implies unlawfulness state custody thus preiser found implied exception coverage claim seeks simply relates core habeas corpus relief state prisoner requests present future release cf post kennedy dissenting arguing preiser covers challenges relate duration confinement wolff makes clear remains available procedural challenges success action necessarily spell immediate speedier release prisoner heck specifies prisoner use obtain damages success necessarily imply unlawfulness previously invalidated conviction sentence balisok like wolff demonstrates habeas remedies displace actions success civil rights suit necessarily vitiate legality previously invalidated state confinement cases taken together indicate state prisoner action barred absent prior invalidation matter relief sought damages equitable relief matter target prisoner suit state conduct leading conviction internal prison proceedings success action necessarily demonstrate invalidity confinement duration applying principles present case conclude respondents claims cognizable fall within implicit habeas exception dotson johnson seek relief render invalid state procedures used deny parole eligibility dotson parole suitability johnson see wolff supra neither respondent seeks injunction ordering immediate speedier release community see preiser wolff supra wolff favorable judgment necessarily imply invalidity conviction sentence heck supra success dotson mean immediate release confinement shorter stay prison means new eligibility review speed consideration new parole application success johnson means new parole hearing ohio parole authorities may discretion decline shorten prison term see ohio rev code ann lexis describing parole authority broad discretionary powers inmates orient correctional inst ohio state adult parole auth see also tr oral arg petitioners counsel conceding success respondents claims inevitably lead release neither prisoner claim necessarily spell speedier release neither lies core habeas corpus preiser finally prisoners claims future relief successful necessarily imply invalidity confinement shorten duration yet distant core see balisok supra dissent disagrees legal analysis advocates use different legal standard critical part view habeas challenge sentence core challenge necessarily produce prisoner release standard must wrong see post heck standard irrelevant heck concerned damages see post first believe case challenging sentence seeks prisoner release pertinent sense seeks invalidation whole part judgment authorizing prisoner confinement fact state may seek new judgment new trial new sentencing proceeding beside point second balisok applied heck standard addressed claim seeking damages also separate declaration state procedures unlawful see iii ohio makes two additional arguments first ohio points language heck indicating prisoner damages action lie favorable judgment necessarily imply invalidity conviction sentence emphasis added ohio argues parole proceedings part prisoners sentence indeed aspect sentence claims successful invalidate find argument persuasive context heck uses word sentence refer prison procedures substantive determinations length confinement see muhammad close per curiam incarceration matters heck incarceration ordered original judgment conviction heck uses word sentence interchangeably terms continuing confinement imprisonment per curiam wilwording swenson per curiam interpretation heck consistent balisok held prisoner suit sought nullification disciplinary procedures rather nullification disciplinary procedures lead necessarily restoration credits hence shortening prisoner sentence second ohio says decision favor respondents break faith principles comity opening door federal without prior exhaustion remedies earlier cases however already placed important comity considerations balance weighed competing need vindicate federal rights without exhaustion concluded prisoners may bring claims without fully exhausting remedies long suits established necessarily invalidate confinement see part ii supra thus see reason moving line cases draw particularly since congress already strengthened requirement prisoners exhaust state administrative remedies precondition action see porter nussle reasons sixth circuit judgment affirmed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered reginald wilkinson director ohio department rehabilitation correction et petitioners william dwight dotson et al writ certiorari appeals sixth circuit march justice scalia justice thomas joins concurring join opinion view reads heck humphrey edwards balisok correctly full agreement holding ecause neither prisoner claim necessarily spell speedier release neither lies core habeas may brought rev stat ante write separately note contrary holding require us broaden scope habeas relief beyond recognition preiser rodriguez cases follow hold congress enacting preserved habeas corpus statute sole authorization challenges allegedly unlawful confinement time adoption federal habeas statute mirrored writ habeas corpus authorized single form relief prisoner immediate release custody see act stat congress shortly thereafter amended statute authorizing federal habeas courts dispose party law justice require rev stat statute reads virtually today dispose matter law justice require interpreted broader remedial language permit relief short release example habeas petitioner challenges one several consecutive sentences may invalidate challenged sentence even though prisoner remains custody serve others see peyton rowe walker wainwright per curiam thus preiser held prisoners action barred relief sought restoration credits shorten prisoners incarceration hasten date transferred supervised release available habeas see one thing say permissible habeas relief cases interpret statute includes ordering quantum change level custody graham broglin posner release incarceration parole quite another say habeas statute authorizes federal courts order relief neither terminates custody accelerates future date release custody reduces level custody sought mandating new parole hearing may may result release prescription composition hearing panel specification procedures followed holding sort judicial immersion administration discretionary parole lies core habeas utterly sever writ roots cf bell wolfish treating open question whether claims cognizable habeas dissent suggests habeas may issue conditional writ ordering prisoner released unless state conducts new sentencing proceeding may also issue conditional writ ordering release absent new parole proceeding see post opinion kennedy prisoner shows sentencing unconstitutional actually entitled release judgment pursuant confined invalidated conditional writ serves delay release order provide state opportunity correct constitutional violation hilton braunskill see bonner conditional writ proper resentencing contrast validly sentenced prisoner shows state made procedural error denying discretionary parole established right release obtain habeas relief conditional otherwise conditional writs enable habeas courts give time replace invalid judgment valid one consequence fail always release conditional writs weapon federal habeas courts extort respondent custodian forms relief short release whether new parole hearing new mattress applicant cell petitioners counter need concerned expansion habeas relief prisoners naturally prefer habeas corpus light burdensome prerequisites attached habeas relief prerequisites exhaustion state remedies reliance clearly established federal law deference previous findings fact apply person custody pursuant judgment state contrast delineation scope permissible relief applies federal habeas proceedings whether petitioner federal state custody see thus may shield petitioners fellow state wardens impact broadened writ urge us create every warden responding habeas petition claim protection federal prisoners whose custodians acting color state law hence sued greater incentives shoehorn claims habeas finally note opinion focuses correctly whether claims respondents pleaded claims may pursued habeas whether respondents successful obtaining habeas relief claims see ante thus example prisoner wishes challenge length confinement obtain federal habeas relief statute limitations restrictions successive petitions use unavailability federal habeas relief individual case grounds proceeding cf preiser supra wholly frustrate explicit congressional intent hold state prisoners evade exhaustion requirement simple expedient putting different label pleadings observations join opinion reginald wilkinson director ohio department rehabilitation correction et petitioners william dwight dotson et al writ certiorari appeals sixth circuit march justice kennedy dissenting case insists attack parole proceedings brought rev stat may dismissed grounds habeas corpus exclusive remedy claims primary reason offered holding order entitling prisoner new parole proceeding might result early release reason however applies equal logic force sentencing proceeding since elementary habeas appropriate remedy challenging sentence something must quite wrong first premise everyone knows prisoner succeeds habeas action obtains new sentencing hearing sentence may may reduced sentence end perhaps longer prisoner early release means assured simply first sentence found unlawful yet one say attack judicial sentencing proceedings following conviction may raised action inconsistency treatment sentencing proceedings parole proceedings thus difficult justify furthermore tension precedents reasons write respectful dissent challenges parole proceedings cognizable habeas respondents challenge parole determinations deny release eligibility consideration release also guarantee continued confinement next scheduled parole proceeding see ante majority opinion parole determination made proceeding flawed errors constitutional dimensions respondents allege continued confinement may well result constitutional violation respondents thus raise cognizable habeas claim custody violation constitution see also hertz liebman federal habeas corpus practice procedure pp ed noting range claims cognizable federal habeas corpus includes challenges duration sentence including basis parole good time administratively opposed rules citing numerous cases effect recognition elementary principle courts appeals adjudicated merits many parole challenges federal habeas corpus proceedings see california dept corrections morales vaughn nulph faatz per curiam fender thompson concerns holding increased diminished fact seem deny respondents claims indeed cognizable habeas corpus proceedings justice scalia concurring opinion suggests otherwise respondents seek form relief new parole hearings unavailable habeas ante common practice granting conditional writ ordering state release prisoner else correct constitutional error new hearing already allows habeas compel type relief justice scalia supposes unavailable see hilton braunskill federal habeas corpus practice reflected decisions indicates broad discretion conditioning judgment granting habeas relief habeas available parole challenges like respondents preiser rodriguez thus requires holding also provides exclusive vehicle preiser held challenges fact duration prisoner confinement opposed conditions prison life must brought habeas language sure capacious enough include challenge fact duration confinement preiser nonetheless established habeas specific applicable remedy exclusive means raising challenge respondents challenges adverse parole system determinations relate conditions confinement rather fact duration confinement see butterfield bail challenge procedures used denial parole necessarily implicates validity denial parole therefore prisoner continuing confinement straightforward application preiser cases yield conclusion claims must brought habeas majority contrary holding permitting parole determination challenges go forward based argument claims characterized challenges conditions confinement rather fact duration argument unavailable majority must say instead respondents claims fall habeas ante gives two reasons first success claims necessarily entitle respondents immediate release ante noted outset proves far much line reasoning sound remove core habeas challenge unconstitutional sentencing procedure second reason success claims necessarily imply invalidity respondents convictions sentences ante misplaced irrelevant misplaced takes context test employed heck humphrey edwards balisok cases temptation seek relief unavailable habeas damages declaratory relief serving predicate damages thus end run around preiser heck supra balisok supra see also muhammad close per curiam recognizing damages unavailable habeas today case present problem fact respondents claims impugn validity convictions sentences also irrelevant true respondents contentions nothing original convictions sentencing determinations stating fact however gets closer resolving whether parole determinations subject direct challenge habeas held administrative decisions denying credits subject attack habeas preiser supra balisok supra makes point cite sentence fragment close observing incarceration matters heck incarceration ordered original judgment conviction ante quoting statement however inapplicable even terms addresses heck problem one furthermore even apart heck inapplicability case full sentence majority takes quotation makes clear close contrasting confinement per se special disciplinary confinement infraction prison rules simply issue sum neither majority stated principles justify deviation holding preiser demands today ruling blurs preiser formulation apparent respondents challenges relate conditions confinement solely duration notwithstanding preiser direction challenges fact duration confinement restricted habeas decision allow numerous challenges state parole system determinations relate solely duration prisoners confinement unsurprising filed amicus brief joining ohio urging opposite result see brief alabama et al amici curiae today decision allows state prisoners raising parole challenges circumvent state courts compare providing person custody pursuant judgment must general exhaust remedies available courts state seeking federal habeas relief requiring prisoner exhaust administrative remedies bringing action challenge prison conditions parole systems doubt variations state state within special province expertise state courts address challenges state parole determinations first instance particularly many challenges raise state procedural questions today objection many deprives federal courts invaluable assistance frontline expertise found state courts reasons given reverse