Opinion ID: 2994915
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Flores-Ortega and 28 U.S.C. sec. 2255

Text: para.6(3) Montenegro next argues that his motion is timely under sec. 2255 para.6(3) because a right newly recognized by the Supreme Court is retroactively applicable to his case on collateral review. Section 2255 para.6(3) provides that the one-year limitation period will begin running on the date on which the right asserted was initially recognized by the Supreme Court, if that right has been newly recognized by the Supreme Court and made retroactively applicable to cases on collateral review. Montenegro bases his argument on the Supreme Court’s holding in Roe v. Flores-Ortega, 528 U.S. 470 (2000). There, the Court held that defendants’ counsel have a constitutionally-imposed duty to consult with the defendant about an appeal when there is reason to think either (1) that a rational defendant would want to appeal (for example, because there are nonfrivolous grounds for appeal), or (2) that this particular defendant reasonably demonstrated to counsel that he was interested in appealing. Id. at 480. The government attempts to play down the impact of Flores-Ortega by arguing that that decision merely provides instruction on the application of the well- established Strickland test to a particular fact situation. To prevail on an ineffective assistance claim based on counsel’s failure to file a notice of appeal, a defendant must satisfy the familiar test of Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052 (1984). Under Strickland, the defendant must first demonstrate that his counsel’s performance was deficient by showing that it was unreasonable under prevailing professional norms. See id. at 688. It is neither necessary nor appropriate for us to decide at this time whether the portion of Flores-Ortega on which Montenegro relies establishes a newly recognized rule of constitutional law, because under sec. 2255 para.6(3) the decision whether a rule (if new) should be applied on collateral attack is one to be made by the Supreme Court itself. Section 2255 para.6(3) is in this respect identical to 28 U.S.C. sec. 2244(b) (2)(A), which allows the filing of a second or successive collateral attack only if a new right has been made retroactive to cases on collateral review by the Supreme Court. We have held that for purposes of sec. 2244(b)(2)(A), the retroactivity decision must be made by the Supreme Court, rather than by courts of appeals. See Talbott v. Indiana, 226 F.3d 866, 867 (7th Cir. 2000); Bennett v. United States, 119 F.3d 470 (7th Cir. 1997). Contra West v. Vaughn, 204 F.3d 53, 59-63 (3d Cir. 2000). See also Taylor v. Cain, 218 F.3d 744 (5th Cir.) (mem.), cert. granted, 121 S.Ct. 654 (2000). Unless and until the Supreme Court itself declares that Flores-Ortega not only establishes a new rule but also that this rule applies retroactively on collateral review, Montenegro cannot take advantage of sec. 2255 para.6(3) to obtain additional time for initiating a collateral attack.