What a § 2255 motion can—and cannot—do after a federal conviction
A plain-language guide to custody, constitutional claims, procedural barriers, and the existing record.
By Brandon Harper · Director of Legal Operations◆ Serving Clients NationwideEspañol216-302-0650Email PCRA
National Post-Conviction Advocacy
Serious Advocacy.
A Second Chance.
Focused case review, strategic legal research, and carefully developed post-conviction advocacy for individuals and families across the United States.
Free Preliminary Case Review
Get answers about what options may be available.
Tell our review team about the conviction, sentence, prior filings, and current concerns. We will examine the information submitted, identify the records needed to verify possible relief, and explain whether PCRA may be able to assist.
No fee to submit a requestNationwide case reviewClear document checklistWritten findings when appropriate
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Request your free case review.
You do not need every transcript or court document before contacting us. Begin with what you know, and our dedicated review team will identify what is needed next.
Start My Free Case ReviewSubmitting a request does not create representation, protect a deadline, or guarantee that relief is available.The PCRA Daily Relief Update
Legal developments worth knowing—delivered every weekday.
Concise, source-linked coverage of post-conviction law, sentencing, clemency, prison conditions, release, and reentry.
Prepared by the PCRA Legal Research and Policy TeamWhen the judgment is not the end
Post-conviction work demands a deeper look.
A conviction or sentence can leave families unsure where to turn next. Post Conviction Relief Associates examines the record, procedural history, evidence, sentencing factors, and available avenues for relief to identify what deserves closer attention.
Every matter begins with the same discipline: understand the case before recommending the path.
See how we review a case →A national visual guide
What happens after sentencing?
See how direct appeal, state PCR, federal habeas, sentence modification, commutation, pardon, and post-release remedies fit together—and where the paths separate.
Explore the Full RoadmapSentencing & Judgment
Direct ReviewCollateral ReviewSentence ReliefExecutive Clemency
National Services
Focused support after conviction and sentencing.
Detailed information for families evaluating appellate, collateral, sentencing, executive, and correctional remedies.
01
Direct Appeals
Review of preserved trial and sentencing issues, appellate procedure, briefing strategy, and the record on appeal.
Learn more →02Federal Habeas Corpus
Record-based analysis of federal collateral remedies under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2241, 2254, and 2255.
Learn more →03Clemency and Sentence Commutation
Evidence-driven executive-relief development focused on rehabilitation, equity, proportionality, and release readiness.
Learn more →04Sentence Modification and Reduction
Assessment of statutory, guideline, compassionate-release, and jurisdiction-specific sentence-reduction mechanisms.
Learn more →05State Post-Conviction Relief
Jurisdiction-specific review of constitutional claims, newly discovered evidence, plea issues, and prior counsel performance.
Learn more →06Presidential and State Pardons
Application development focused on acceptance of responsibility, rehabilitation, purpose, character, and public interest.
Learn more →07Compassionate Release
Case development involving extraordinary circumstances, medical evidence, sentencing factors, and release planning.
Learn more →08Parole, Institutional Transfers, and Prison Issues
Structured advocacy concerning parole preparation, correctional records, institutional placement, and serious custody concerns.
Learn more →A disciplined process
Built around the record—not assumptions.
We organize the file, reconstruct the procedural history, identify missing records, separate verified facts from disputed assertions, research the controlling law, and develop a responsible strategy grounded in what the record can support.
Our Review Process- 01Case intake and issue identificationUnderstand the judgment, sentence, custody status, prior litigation, and immediate concerns.
- 02Record reconstructionGather and organize pleadings, transcripts, discovery, exhibits, and sentencing materials.
- 03Legal and factual analysisTest potential issues against the governing law and complete record.
- 04Strategy and next stepsExplain viable avenues, limitations, priorities, and work required.
What PCRA actually does
Work that can be organized, explained, and examined.
PCRA develops complex matters through record reconstruction, source-controlled research, sentencing analysis, investigation, family education, clemency development, and coordination with qualified counsel where required.
Comprehensive record reviewClear written deliverablesVerified-source researchNational post-conviction focusFamily-readable explanationsNo guaranteed outcomes
New: Law & Policy Monitor
Track reforms before relying on them.
PCRA follows federal guideline amendments, enacted second-look laws, pending sentencing reforms, parole developments, and record-relief changes from 2025 forward—always distinguishing a proposal from an available remedy.
Open the Law TrackerInstitution Conditions & Accountability
Report serious conditions privately.
Submit information about unsafe water, medical neglect, sanitation, violence, disability access, retaliation, or other serious prison and jail conditions for PCRA review.
Report Institution ConditionsKnowledge Center
Understand the road ahead.
Detailed educational guides written by Brandon Harper for families, incarcerated people, returning citizens, and anyone trying to understand post-conviction law.
Commutation is not another appeal: building a responsible request for mercy
How rehabilitation, sentencing equity, personal history, release planning, and public safety fit together.
By Brandon Harper · Director of Legal OperationsWhy transcripts, dockets, discovery, and sentencing records matter
A reliable strategy begins with knowing what happened, what was preserved, and what remains missing.
By Brandon Harper · Director of Legal OperationsBegin with the record