Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Ineffective assistance of counsel occurs when a defendant’s lawyer does not provide quality legal representation, and this poor performance adversely affects the outcome of the case. To succeed, the defendant must prove that the lawyer's mistakes were serious enough to undermine confidence in the trial's fairness and that these errors directly impacted the verdict or sentence. Examples include not investigating the case properly or failing to present essential evidence. It is a legal claim used to challenge a conviction or sentence when the defendant believes they did not receive competent defense.