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Delaware Supreme Court Describes What Constitutes ‘Effective’ Counsel at Sentencing
by Dale Chappell
Providing a lesson on what defense lawyers should and should not do to get their client a lower sentence, the Supreme Court of Delaware held that counsel was ineffective when he met with his client for the first time just minutes before sentencing and did …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- 10th Circuit: Observation of Stack of 15 Credit Cards Does Not Provide Police With Probable Cause to Examine Name on Cards for Evidence of a Crime, by Christopher Zoukis
- Idaho Supreme Court Orders Acquittal for Insufficient Identification of Drug, by Matthew Clarke
- $10 Million Award for California Man Wrongfully Imprisoned, by Derek Gilna
- Ninth Circuit: Violations Alleged After Expiration of Supervised Release Term Must be Factually Related to Pre-Expiration Allegation, by Richard Resch
- Delaware Supreme Court Describes What Constitutes ‘Effective’ Counsel at Sentencing, by Dale Chappell
- Golden State Killer Suspect Arrest Opens Floodgates for Law Enforcement Use of DNA Websites, by Steve Horn
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Any Search of Cellphone Requires Warrant, by Dale Chappell
- Wyoming Supreme Court Adopts ‘Castle Doctrine’ for Cohabitants, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Conviction for Transporting an Illegal Alien Due to Improper Jury Instruction, by Christopher Zoukis
- Eleventh Circuit Clarifies When a Court Must Conduct Resentencing Following § 2255 Relief, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal Rejects Gang Enhancement Based on Expert Witness’ Case-Specific Hearsay Evidence, by Christopher Zoukis
- Third Circuit Reverses Occupational Restriction in Excess of Statutory Maximum for Supervised Release, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Supreme Court Reverses Convictions Based on Double Jeopardy Violations, by Christopher Zoukis
- Virginia Supreme Court Grants Relief Under Revised Actual Innocence Statute, by Dale Chappell
- Colorado High Court Clarifies Crime-Fraud Exception to Attorney-Client Privilege, by Dale Chappell
- Florida Supreme Court Announces SOL Defense Must be Raised at Trial to Preserve Issue for Direct Appeal, by Richard Resch
- California Supreme Court Vacates Conviction and Death Sentence After Experts Recant Testimony, by Dale Chappell
- Colorado Supreme Court: ‘Entry of Judgment’ for New Trial Motion Means Both Conviction and Imposition of Sentence, by Dale Chappell
- Vermont Supreme Court: Defendant Cannot be Compelled to Submit to Competency Evaluation by State’s Expert, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: California Carjacking Not a Crime of Violence Post-Johnson, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Supreme Court: Prisoner Entitled to Results of Post-Conviction DNA Profile, by Matthew Clarke
- No Increase in Murder Rate for Civilians or Police Following Abolition of Death Penalty, by Matthew Clarke
- Execution Numbers Down in 2017, by Christopher Zoukis
- Minnesota Supreme Court: Prisoner Entitled to Appointed Attorney for One Review of Conviction, Even When It’s Not a Direct Appeal, by Christopher Zoukis
- Web-Based Database Exposes Depth and Breadth of Police Criminality, by Derek Gilna
- Sixth Circuit: Statute of Limitations for § 1983 Claim Accrues When Criminal Proceedings are Terminated, by Christopher Zoukis
- DOJ: Police Shooting Family Dogs has Become ‘Epidemic’, by Dale Chappell
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds SCOTUS Prohibition Against Warrantless Blood Tests in DWI Cases Applies Retroactively, by Matthew Clarke
- S.C. Supreme Court Rules Counsel’s Failure to Recognize Ex Post Facto Issue in Advising Defendant to Accept Plea Deal Constituted IAC, by Dale Chappell
- Alabama’s Most Populous County Reaches Bail Reform Settlement, But Problems Could Persist, by Steve Horn
- Sixth Circuit Suppresses Evidence Where Triggering Event Specified in Anticipatory Search Warrant Never Occurred, by Richard Resch
- Philly Prosecutor’s ‘Do Not Call’ List Released; Names Cops Not to Call to the Stand, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Supreme Court: Policy of Inventory Search Upon Arrest Does Not Empower Police to Retrieve Property from Area Protected by Fourth Amendment, by Dale Chappell
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Lawyer’s Failure to Advise Client of Opinion Making It Impossible for State to Meet Its Burden of Proof Constitutes Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
- Do Black Lives Matter in the Supreme Court?, by Michael Avery
- SCOTUS Adopts ‘Look Through’ Methodology for Federal Courts in Determining State Court’s Rationale for Unexplained Habeas Decision, by Richard Resch
- Cell-Site Simulators: Police Use Military Technology to Reach out and Spy on You, by Christopher Zoukis
More from Dale Chappell:
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025
- How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, March 15, 2025
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- California Supreme Court Limits Money Bail for Nonviolent Charges, July 1, 2026. Conditions of Confinement, Sentencing, Due Process, Constitutional Challenges/Law, Pretrial Detention and Detainees.
- Oregon Supreme Court: Jail Credit Statute Focuses Upon Legal Custody Not Physical Custody Location, July 1, 2026. Civil Procedure, Sentencing, Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Criminal Justice, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
- Louisiana’s Atavistic Approach to Criminal Sentencing and Parole Demonstrates Politicians’ Failure to Learn from Past Mistakes, July 1, 2026. Medical, Conditions of Confinement, Sentencing, Parole, Prisoners' Rights.
- Two More Guards Face Prison Time for Messiah Nantwi Killing, June 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Sentencing, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- SCOTUS Announces Sentencing Reform Act Does Not Authorize Automatic Extension of Supervised Release When Defendant Absconds, Resolving Circuit Split, April 1, 2026. Sentencing, Revocation/Modification of Probation, etc., Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentences - Corrections or Modifications of, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release.
- Ex-Wife of Minnesota DOC Commissioner Sentenced for Poisoning Attempt on Son, Dec. 1, 2025. Out of State Transfers, Sentencing, Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations, Confessions and Statements of Defendant, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- DOJ Finds Unconstitutional Conditions in Texas Juvenile Detention, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Sentencing, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Protect (Juveniles), Juvenile Prisons.
- New York City Loses Bid to Withhold Jail Records, July 15, 2025. Attorneys, Public Records Act.
- Georgia Moves to Shield Intellectually Disabled Prisoners from Execution, June 1, 2025. Sentencing, Death Penalty.
- Fourth Circuit: District Court Failed to Provide Sufficient Explanation for Sentence Imposed and Did Not Address Defendant’s Arguments for Downward Variant Sentence, May 15, 2025. Sentencing, Drug Laws/Offenses.





