Opinion ID: 1693511
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: General Principles Governing Ineffective-Assistance-of-Counsel Claims.

Text: The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees a defendant the right to the effective assistance of counsel. See U.S. Const. amend. VI; Taylor v. State, 352 N.W.2d 683, 685 (Iowa 1984). We review claims that this constitutional right has been violated de novo. See State v. Ray, 516 N.W.2d 863, 865 (Iowa 1994). Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel are generally preserved for postconviction relief proceedings. See id. Where the record is adequate to address the issue, however, such claims will be considered on direct appeal. See id. As will become clear, this is such a case. The standards required to prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel are well established. The defendant must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that his counsel failed to perform an essential duty, and that he was prejudiced by counsel's error. State v. Brooks, 555 N.W.2d 446, 448 (Iowa 1996).