Opinion ID: 2332514
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: was aldus prejudiced by her counsel's error?

Text: [¶ 20] The prejudice prong of Strickland, as reformulated by Hill and applied in Laferriere, required Aldus to show a reasonable probability, meaning a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome, that she would have insisted on going to trial if she had not received ineffective assistance of counsel. Laferriere, 697 A.2d at 1305 (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052). The State argues that the Superior Court erred in its explicit finding that Aldus met her burden of showing prejudice and its implicit finding that she would not have pled guilty but for her attorney's error. [¶ 21] The court identified the attorney's error as the failure to request a halt in the proceedings in order to answer Aldus's question about why INS was looking for her. Aldus testified at the post-conviction hearing that Geller did not tell her that a continuance could be requested and if she had known that a continuance was possible, I would have taken a continuance. She further testified that she did not think she would be found guilty at a trial, because she was innocent. This testimony raises a fair inference that if Geller had told Aldus that they could defer entering a plea on the aggravated assault charge to find out why INS was looking for her, Aldus would not have entered a plea of guilty. The court was justified in determining there is a reasonable probability that, but for her attorney's error, Aldus would not have entered a guilty plea and would have insisted on going to trial. The evidence does not compel a finding that Aldus suffered no prejudice from her attorney's error. The entry is: Judgment affirmed.