State prisoners seeking habeas relief under § 2241 must obtain a COA to appeal the denial of an application. See id. at 867. A COA will issue "only if the applicant has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right." 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). This standard requires "a demonstration that . . . includes showing that reasonable jurists could debate whether (or, for that matter, agree that) the petition should have been resolved in a different manner or that the issues presented were adequate to deserve encouragement to proceed further." Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000) (internal quotation marks omitted). In other words, the applicant must show that the district court's resolution of the constitutional claim was either "debatable or wrong." Id.

Mr. Denney's first three claims challenge the interpretation of state law by state courts. Such claims are not cognizable on federal habeas review, for "it is not the province of a federal habeas court to reexamine state-court determinations on state-law questions." Estelle v. McGuire, 502 U.S. 62, 67­68 (1991); see also 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3); Montez, 208 F.3d at 865. We recognize that Mr. Denney asserts a violation of due process, and a pro se litigant's pleadings should be construed liberally. See Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1110 (10th Cir. 1991). Nevertheless, courts should not "assume the role of advocate for the pro se litigant." Id. It is not for this court to make Mr. Denney's arguments for him. Mr. Denney's bare assertion that he has been denied due process, without any explanation of the legal basis for the claim, does not amount to "a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right." 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2); see Dunn v. White, 880 F.2d 1188, 1198 (10th Cir. 1989). Accordingly, no reasonable jurist could dispute the district court's denial of these claims.

Mr. Denney similarly fails to support his claim that he was denied due process when he was not given credit for excess time served on his Case A sentence. He cites Meachum v. Fano, 427 U.S. 215 (1976), but that case held only that transfer to a less desirable prison does not violate a prisoner's due-process rights when state law does not condition such a transfer on proof of specific conduct or events, see id. at 226­27. To the extent that Meachum may be relevant, we note that the Kansas Supreme Court explicitly held that Mr. Denney had no state-law right to jail-time credit for time spent in prison on unrelated charges. See Denney, 101 P.3d at 1261. Moreover, we are aware of no authority supporting his constitutional claim. Indeed, at least one circuit court has held to the contrary. See Holscher v. Young, 440 F.2d 1283, 1290 (8th Cir. 1971) ("Due process does not require that [the applicant] be credited with the time spent in prison under the prior illegal conviction of a crime unrelated to the present case."). As a result, no reasonable jurist could dispute the district court's denial of this claim.

Finally, Mr. Denney appears to raise an equal-protection claim in his application to this court. We need not consider whether this claim was presented in district court, because it clearly fails on the merits. Mr. Denney proffers no facts and cites no cases that support his contention; he has not identified how he was treated differently from other similarly situated persons. See Penrod v. Zavaras, 94 F.3d 1399, 1406 (10th Cir. 1996). A conclusory statement that he has been denied equal protection does not amount to a "substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right." 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2); see Dunn, 880 F.2d at 1198. Thus, regardless of whether the district court was presented with Mr. Denney's equal-protection claim, the claim is meritless. See Davis v. Roberts, 425 F.3d 830, 834 (10th Cir. 2005) (court may deny a COA for any reason adequately supported by the record).

We DENY Mr. Denney's application for a COA and DISMISS the appeal.

ENTERED FOR THE COURT

Harris L Hartz

Circuit Judge

^*.After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.

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