Opinion ID: 167470
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: IADA hearing as a “critical stage”

Text: Mr. Graham also contends that the dismissal of his original indictment without prejudice constituted a “critical stage” in his criminal prosecution. If the dismissal proceeding was a critical stage, Mr. Graham need not demonstrate prejudice from the absence of his counsel at the proceeding. See United States v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648, 659 (1984) (“The presumption that counsel’s assistance is essential requires us to conclude that a trial is unfair if the accused is denied counsel at a critical stage of the trial.”). A stage in criminal proceedings is “critical” when “circumstances . . . are so likely to prejudice the accused that the cost of litigating their effect in a particular case is unjustified.” Id. at 658. Examples of critical stages include arraignment, Hamilton v. Alabama, 368 U.S. 53, 55 (1961), post-indictment pre-trial lineup, United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 236-37 (1967), or cross-examination, Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, 318 -13- (1974). A pre-trial proceeding is a critical stage if it “protect[s] the fairness of the trial itself,” Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 239 (1973), or could affect the defendant’s substantial rights, Mempha v. Rhay, 389 U.S. 128, 134 (1967). “[T]he right to the effective assistance of counsel is recognized not for its own sake, but because of the effect it has on the ability of the accused to receive a fair trial.” Cronic, 466 U.S. at 658 . “Absent some effect of challenged conduct on the reliability of the trial process, the Sixth Amendment guarantee is generally not implicated.” Id. Our circuit’s description of the IADA, however, indicates that a hearing preceding dismissal of an indictment without prejudice is not a critical stage. As we noted earlier, “the protections of the IADA are not founded on constitutional rights, or the preservation of a fair trial, but are designed to facilitate a defendant’s rehabilitation in prison and to avoid disruptions caused when charges are outstanding against the prisoner in another jurisdiction.” Yellen, 828 F.2d at 1474 (emphasis added). Moreover, Mr. Graham’s counsel in this action acknowledges an inability “to find any decisions specifically holding that a government motion to dismiss an indictment without prejudice is a ‘critical stage’ in a criminal prosecution.” Aplt’s Supp. Op. Brief at 17. Thus, we decline to characterize as a critical stage the dismissal without prejudice of Mr. Graham’s original indictment. -14-