The Supreme Court of the United States considered whether the federal habeas court had properly applied the deferential standard required by the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act when reviewing a state-court ineffective-assistance decision. The state court had considered Kayer’s evidence and found that he failed to show prejudice. The Supreme Court held that the Ninth Circuit exceeded its authority by rejecting that determination even though it was not beyond the possibility of fair-minded disagreement. Under the federal habeas statute, the question was not whether the state court was incorrect, but whether its decision was objectively unreasonable under clearly established federal law. The Court therefore vacated the Ninth Circuit’s judgment and remanded. Three justices dissented.