PREGERSON, Circuit Judge:
In this case, we must decide whether the district court properly dismissed appellant Howard's successive habeas petition on the ground that a prior judgment denying relief on the identical claims was final. Howard argues that the dismissal of his prior habeas petition on the ground of state procedural default was not a determination "on the merits," and, thus, his present petition should not be barred.
We hold that, in general, a...
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