Ex Parte Christopher Jacques Seymour. (In Re Christopher Jacques Seymour v. State of Alabama).

Summary

The court held that a defective indictment does not deprive an Alabama circuit court of subject-matter jurisdiction over a felony prosecution. Because Seymour did not challenge the indictment at trial or on direct appeal, his claim was barred under the applicable post-conviction preclusion rules. The court overruled prior Alabama precedent treating failure to allege an essential offense element as jurisdictional and affirmed the denial of relief.