Opinion ID: 1611878
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Preservation of Applicant's Claims.

Text: The State correctly notes Jose did not raise any of the claims asserted in his application for postconviction relief on direct appeal. Generally, a claim not raised on direct appeal cannot be raised in a postconviction relief proceeding unless the applicant can demonstrate a sufficient cause or reason for not properly raising the issue previously. Iowa Code § 822.8 (1995); Berryhill v. State, 603 N.W.2d 243, 245 (Iowa 1999); Osborn, 573 N.W.2d at 921; Washington v. Scurr, 304 N.W.2d 231, 234 (Iowa 1981). The applicant must also prove he was actually prejudiced by the alleged error. Berryhill, 603 N.W.2d at 245; Osborn, 573 N.W.2d at 921; Polly v. State, 355 N.W.2d 849, 856 (Iowa 1984). To prove prejudice, the applicant must show that the alleged error actually and substantially disadvantaged him. Polly, 355 N.W.2d at 855. We have found the ineffective assistance of appellate counsel to constitute a sufficient reason for failing to raise the issue of ineffective assistance of trial counsel on direct appeal. Berryhill, 603 N.W.2d at 245; Polly, 355 N.W.2d at 855; Washington, 304 N.W.2d at 235. We judge ineffective assistance of appellate counsel claims against the same two-pronged test utilized for ineffective assistance of trial counsel claims. Osborn, 573 N.W.2d at 922. To prove appellate counsel's deficient performance resulted in prejudice, the applicant must show his ineffective assistance of trial counsel claim would have prevailed if it had been raised on direct appeal. Thus, before we can determine whether error has been preserved, we must analyze the merits of Jose's ineffective assistance of counsel claims.