New Jersey Petition for Relief From a Conviction or Sentence By a Person in State Custody Under 28 U.S.C. 2254. Is a legal document that allows a person in state custody to challenge their conviction or sentence in federal court. The petitioner must show that their conviction or sentence violated their federal constitutional rights. The petition is filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. There are two types of New Jersey Petition for Relief From a Conviction or Sentence By a Person in State Custody Under 28 U.S.C. 2254.: an initial petition and a successive petition. An initial petition is the first petition filed by a petitioner in state custody. A successive petition is a petition submitted by a petitioner who has already filed an initial petition and had it denied.