SCRANTON — Infamous kids-for-cash judge Mark A. Ciavarella on Thursday filed documents seeking to have some of his convictions overturned based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Prosecutors alleged he conspired with a former colleague to shutter a county-run juvenile detention center and funnel youths to for-profit detention centers while accepting $2.87 million in cash payments from the builder and owner.

He is serving 28 years in federal prison after being convicted on 12 of 39 counts — four of them being charges of honest services mail fraud.

Citing a June decision by the Supreme Court, Ciavarella argues that his conviction should be overturned because of the court's guidance regarding the phrase "official act."

In its ruling, the Supreme Court unanimously vacated the conviction of ex-Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. Like Ciavarella, McDonnell was convicted of honest services fraud over allegations he was showered with $175,000 in gifts and loans for "official acts" taken as governor.

The justices ruled that an official must exercise governmental power, not just do something like set up a meeting, to be guilty of honest services fraud.

"Under the definition of ‘official act' as set forth in (the case), (Ciavarella) did nothing in his official capacity as judge that caused (former detention center co-owner Robert Powell) to hire (real estate developer Robert Mericle)," Ciavarella wrote. "Because (Ciavarella) took no official action in the hiring of Mericle, Mericle's payment to him was not a bribe and would not have allowed the jury to find him guilty of honest services mail fraud."

The motion seeks to amend documents he filed in federal court in January seeking his conviction be overturned.

Ciavarella is serving his sentence at Federal Correctional Institution Ashland in Kentucky.

570-821-2058, @cvjimhalpin