Opinion ID: 1958816
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Teachings of Strickland

Text: There are two components to a convicted defendant's claim that counsel's assistance was so defective as to require reversal of a conviction or a death sentence. [4] The defendant must show that: (1) counsel's performance was deficient, and (2) the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. The defendant must make both showings. Otherwise, it cannot be said that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a breakdown in the adversary process that renders the result unreliable. Id. at 2064. Strickland suggested that a court need not determine whether counsel's performance was deficient before examining the prejudice suffered by the defendant as a result of the alleged deficiencies. Id. at 2069-2070. The Court noted: If it is easier to dispose of an ineffectiveness claim on the ground of lack of sufficient prejudice, which we expect will often be so, that course shall be followed. Id. at 2070. Both the performance and prejudice components of the ineffectiveness inquiry are mixed questions of law and fact. Id.