Opinion ID: 564772
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timing of Appellate Review.

Text: 24 We do not normally consider ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims on direct appeal. See, e.g., United States v. Costa, 890 F.2d 480, 482-83 (1st Cir.1989); United States v. Kobrosky, 711 F.2d 449, 457 (1st Cir.1983). The rule in this circuit is that a fact-specific claim of ineffective legal assistance cannot be raised initially on direct review of a criminal conviction, but must originally be presented to the district court. United States v. Hunnewell, 891 F.2d 955, 956 (1st Cir.1989). 25 A principal purpose for the rule is the need to marshal and evaluate evidentiary facts required to place the adequacy of a defendant's representation into proper perspective. Hence, where the critical facts are not genuinely in dispute and the record is sufficiently developed to allow reasoned consideration of an ineffective assistance claim, an appellate court may dispense with the usual praxis and determine the merits of such a contention on direct appeal. See United States v. Jackson, 918 F.2d 236, 243 (1st Cir.1990); United States v. Caggiano, 899 F.2d 99, 100 (1st Cir.1990); United States v. Freeze, 707 F.2d 132, 138-39 (5th Cir.1983). We believe that this case falls within the aforestated exception to the overall rule. Counsel's alleged omission was straightforward: he consciously chose to waive further oral argument. Neither side suggests that there is any need for further factfinding. There seems to be no valid reason why the claim cannot be assessed on the existing record, as the appellant urges us to do. 26