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Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Every decision we've filed under Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.

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Civil 3399 Criminal 1956 Summary Judgment 806 Sentencing Guidelines 718 Civil Rights - Section 1983 647 Immigration (Civil) 646 Constitutional 536 Supervised Release 473 Drug Trafficking 443 Civil Rights - Employment 367 Firearms 319 Qualified Immunity 251
Apr 7 2026
10th Cir. 5:21-CV-00653-SLP Panel Decision

JUAN DOMINGUEZ v. WEISER SECURITY SERVICES, INC

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the grant of summary judgment for Weiser Security Services, ruling that the plaintiff failed to prove causation in his Title VII retaliation claim. The court held that there was insufficient evidence that the decisionmaker knew of the protected activity or that a biased supervisor used the decisionmaker as a cat's paw.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Summary Judgment
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Apr 7 2026
11th Cir. 1:24-cv-00016-CG-B Per Curiam

JONATHON HOWARD BECK v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Jonathon Howard Beck's habeas motion, ruling that the record conclusively showed he received effective assistance of counsel. The court held that Beck's sworn statements during his plea colloquy created a formidable barrier to his claim that he did not understand his mandatory minimum sentences.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 7 2026
5th Cir. 24-10436 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Acacedric Rashod Ware

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a § 2255 motion, holding that a defendant cannot prove ineffective assistance of counsel based on a conflict of interest without showing that the conflict adversely affected the defense strategy. Although the attorney's dual representation created an actual conflict, the record showed the lawyer withdrew immediately upon discovery and took no substantive actions that harmed the client.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sentencing Guidelines Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 6 2026
11th Cir. 5:24-cr-00060-MTT-CHW-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. IKE JACKSON, JR

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed a defendant's direct appeal challenging his sentence for ineffective assistance of counsel because his plea agreement contained an enforceable waiver of that right. The court held that the waiver was entered into knowingly and voluntarily after the district court specifically questioned the defendant about it during the plea colloquy.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 3 2026
11th Cir. 1:07-cv-01276-KOB Published

MARCUS BERNARD WILLIAMS v. STATE OF ALABAMA

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that Marcus Bernard Williams failed to demonstrate prejudice under Strickland v. Washington. The court concluded that Alabama courts would likely have weighed Williams's severe aggravating circumstances more heavily than his new mitigation evidence regarding childhood trauma.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 2 2026
3rd Cir. 25-2754 Panel Decision

MIRYAM PAOLA SOLER-MARTINEZ; D. P.-S v. ATTORNEY GENERAL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Third Circuit granted the Government's motion for summary action, denying a Colombian national's petition for review of her removal order. The court affirmed the lower agencies' findings that the petitioner failed to exhaust her claims regarding a new particular social group and did not adequately challenge the legal basis for the denial of her asylum applications.

Civil Immigration (Civil) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 2 2026
6th Cir. 24-1751 Published

BARBARA JEAN MERCER v. ANTHONY STEWART, Warden

The Sixth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that the state court's refusal to provide a defense-of-others jury instruction was not objectively unreasonable under AEDPA standards. The court concluded that the evidence did not support a reasonable inference that the petitioner acted to protect others from imminent harm, rendering the instructional error harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 2 2026
6th Cir. 24-1707 Published

BARBARA JEAN MERCER v. ANTHONY STEWART, Warden

The Sixth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that the state court's refusal to provide a defense-of-others jury instruction was not objectively unreasonable under AEDPA standards. The court found no constitutional violation in the trial proceedings regarding the jury instructions or other claims, thereby reinstating Mercer's conviction and denying her federal relief.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 2 2026
9th Cir. 20-72157 Published

SUSIE ESKILIAN v. PAMELA BONDI, Attorney General

The Ninth Circuit vacated the Board of Immigration Appeals' denial of a stateless immigrant's motion to reopen removal proceedings, ruling that the agency applied an incorrect diligence standard. The court held that individuals born in the Soviet era who are deemed stateless reasonably begin challenging removal only after learning they are no longer protected from deportation.

Civil Immigration (Civil) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 2 2026
10th Cir. 23-3175 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EBUBE OTUONYE

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's partial denial of a habeas motion, holding that ineffective assistance of counsel regarding jury instructions on controlled substances did not prejudice a defendant's separate healthcare fraud convictions. The court reasoned that the fraud charges relied on distinct evidence and legal elements unrelated to the intent required for distributing controlled substances.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Sixth Amendment - Confrontation Clause Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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