Opinion ID: 591636
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Post-Appeal Assistance

Text: 12 Masters's attorney refused to file a petition for rehearing in this Court after Masters's conviction was affirmed. In his affidavit, counsel acknowledged that he refused to file such a petition because he could not certify to the Fourth Circuit that the Petition for Rehearing was meritorious. Instead, he filed a Motion for Extension of Time so Masters could file a pro se petition for rehearing. Counsel also stated in his affidavit that for the same reason he told Masters he would not file a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, although Masters asked counsel to file such a petition. 13 If his client wishes to petition for certiorari of a judgment affirming a criminal conviction, a court-appointed lawyer must represent him in filing the petition. Wilkins v. United States, 441 U.S. 468, 469 (1979); Proffitt v. United States, 549 F.2d 910, 912 (4th Cir. 1976) (remanding § 2255 claim alleging failure to advise of right to petition for certiorari), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 1076 (1977). This Court's Internal Operating Procedure (I.O.P.) 46.3 and Plan in Implementation of the Criminal Justice Act of 1964 (Plan) require court-appointed counsel to inform clients in writing of the right to petition for certiorari and to file a petition if so requested. Plan, Part V, § 2. The remedy for a breach of this duty is re-entry of the judgment on appeal to permit the defendant, with the assistance of counsel, to file a timely petition for certiorari. See Wilkins, 441 U.S. at 470. 14 Masters was denied the assistance of counsel mandated by this Court's Plan because, by counsel's own admission, he refused Masters's request to file a petition for certiorari. See Bell v. Lockhart, 795 F.2d 655, 657-58 (8th Cir. 1986) (regardless of likelihood of success, failure to file appeal after a request to do so constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel). Accordingly, re-entry of judgment and appointment of counsel to assist Masters in petitioning for certiorari is appropriate. 15 This Court's Plan does not specifically require court-appointed counsel to file a petition for rehearing if requested by his client. Where, as here, counsel, in the exercise of professional judgment, could find no grounds for rehearing but did assist his client by moving for an extension of time, we cannot find a denial of effective assistance. Nevertheless, we note that the time for filing a rehearing petition begins anew upon the re-entry of judgment to accommodate Masters's right to petition for certiorari, and that Masters is free to petition for rehearing.