Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal, 523 U.S. 637 (1998), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court, which held that 28 U.S.C.

[1] Martinez-Villareal (Respondent), filed a habeas corpus petition in federal court.

The State moved to dismiss the Respondents petition as premature and the District Court agreed.

The District Court's grant was reversed on appeal, but warned that the Respondent's Ford claim could be brought again.

The District Court denied the Respondent's request, but assured that the Ford claim would not be foreclosed in future habeas corpus petitions.