Opinion ID: 28
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Claim of Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Text: To succeed on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment, Peralta must show both deficient performance by counsel and resulting prejudice. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052. The Constitution guarantees only an effective defense, not necessarily a perfect defense or a successful defense. Scarpa v. Dubois, 38 F.3d 1, 8 (1st Cir. 1994). In order to satisfy the deficient performance prong, Peralta must show that his trial counsel's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688, 104 S.Ct. 2052. This Court's review of counsel's performance must be deferential, and reasonableness must be considered in light of prevailing professional norms. Id. In order to satisfy the prejudice prong, Peralta must establish that but for his counsel's deficiency, there is a reasonable probability that he would have received a different sentence. Porter v. McCollum, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 130 S.Ct. 447, 453, ___ L.Ed.2d ___, ___ (2009) (per curiam); see Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052; Hill v. Lockhart, 474 U.S. 52, 59, 106 S.Ct. 366, 88 L.Ed.2d 203 (1985). Although he need not show that counsel's deficient conduct more likely than not altered the outcome of his sentencing proceeding, he must establish a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in [that] outcome. Porter, 130 S.Ct. at 455-56, quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 693-94, 104 S.Ct. 2052.