Opinion ID: 1985015
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Bugley's Petition.

Text: Although we find the Bledsoe burden to be applicable to Bugley's postconviction relief petition, we find the trial court did not err in dismissing the petition. See Collins v. State, 477 N.W.2d 374, 376 (Iowa 1991) (we will affirm on appeal where any proper basis appears for the district court ruling even though it was not the one upon which the court based its ruling); LeGrand v. State, 540 N.W.2d 667, 669 (Iowa App.1995) (upholding denial of postconviction relief on proper basis and record even though it was not one upon which the trial court based its ruling). Two reasons support the dismissal of the petition. Bugley was required to show a sufficient reason for failing to assert his claims on direct appeal. See Bledsoe, 257 N.W.2d at 34. Except for the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel based on jury bias, Bugley failed to plead or show a sufficient reason for failing to assert his claims on direct appeal. Bugley did indicate in his resistance to the State's motion for summary judgment the ineffective assistance of counsel claims were properly raised in the postconviction relief petition because trial records are normally inadequate for appellate courts to fully address such claims. Although this may explain why claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel generally cannot be determined on direct appeal, it does not provide sufficient reasons for not raising the claim. Collins, 477 N.W.2d at 376-77. Section 822.8 requires all claims be raised when an appeal is taken unless sufficient reason is shown. There was no indication Bugley raised these postconviction relief claims with his appellate counsel on direct appeal so the record could be examined to determine if it was sufficient to support the claims. On the other hand, the record shows the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel based on jury bias was not raised on direct appeal because appellate counsel specifically examined the record and determined it was inadequate to support the claim. We think this establishes sufficient cause for failing to raise this issue on direct appeal, which would permit Bugley to raise it on postconviction relief. Nevertheless, there is a second reason the trial court did not err in dismissing the petition. Bugley failed to state the specific ways in which counsel's performance was inadequate and how competent representation would have changed the outcome. See Dunbar v. State, 515 N.W.2d 12, 15 (Iowa 1994). The claim of ineffective assistance of counsel was too general to grant relief or preserve for further proceedings. Id.