490
Opinion of the Court
quoting United States v. Jones, 977 F. 2d 105, 109 (CA4 1992). In addition to the practical hurdles, the Court of Appeals specified concerns over comity and federalism as other factors weighing against permitting collateral attacks. " 'Federal courts are not forums in which to relitigate state trials.' " 988 F. 2d, at 1361, quoting Barefoot v. Estelle, 463 U. S. 880, 887 (1983). We granted certiorari, 510 U. S. 913 (1993), because the Court of Appeals' decision conflicted with recent decisions from other Courts of Appeals that permitted defendants to challenge prior convictions that are used in sentencing under § 924(e)(1).1
Custis argues that the ACCA should be read to permit defendants to challenge the constitutionality of convictions used for sentencing purposes. Looking to the language of the statute, we do not believe § 924(e) authorizes such collateral attacks. The ACCA provides an enhanced sentence for any person who unlawfully possesses a firearm in violation of 18 U. S. C. § 922(g) 2 and "has three previous convictions by any court referred to in section 922(g)(1) of this title for a violent felony or a serious drug offense . . . ." Section 924(e) applies whenever a defendant is found to have suffered "three previous convictions" of the type specified. The stat-1 See, e. g., United States v. Paleo, 967 F. 2d 7, 11 (CA1 1992); United States v. Merritt, 882 F. 2d 916, 918 (CA5 1989); United States v. Mc-Glocklin, 8 F. 3d 1037 (CA6 1993) (en banc); United States v. Gallman, 907 F. 2d 639, 642-645 (CA7 1990); United States v. Day, 949 F. 2d 973, 981-983 (CA8 1991); United States v. Clawson, 831 F. 2d 909, 914-915 (CA9 1987); and United States v. Franklin, 972 F. 2d 1253, 1257-1258 (CA11 1992).
2 Title 18 U. S. C. § 922 provides in pertinent part as follows: "(g) It shall be unlawful for any person— "(1) who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
. . . . .
"to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition; or to receive any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce."
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