Opinion ID: 890092
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Consultation prior to trial

Text: ¶25 Sartain contends that Moore did not adequately consult with him prior to trial. Sartain claims he met with Moore only three times, that the meetings ranged in length from fifteen to thirty minutes, and that he had difficulty reaching Moore by phone. Sartain was incarcerated at Montana State Prison during the proceeding. Moore indicated he and his investigator met with Sartain at the Prison several times and also communicated by telephone and through letters. Moore indicated that Sartain’s assessment of the length of the meetings was not true. Moore stated he would clear his 13 schedule for the entire day to travel to Deer Lodge to meet with Sartain, and the meetings were clearly longer than Sartain alleges. Although Sartain would no doubt have preferred to meet more often, this alone does not establish ineffective assistance. See State v. Senn, 244 Mont. 56, 59, 795 P.2d 973, 975 (1990) (“[d]efendant’s allegation that his counsel did not meet with him as often as he would have preferred, does not establish his counsel's competence or incompetence in such a situation.”). Without more, Sartain has failed to satisfy the first prong of Strickland.