Opinion ID: 1129333
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Error of Fact/Ineffective Assistance

Text: On direct appeal from Smith's conviction and sentence, this Court addressed Smith's claim that the trial court violated Smith's constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel by failing to inquire into Smith's November 6, 1989, letter in which he expressed dissatisfaction with court-appointed counsel. Smith, 641 So.2d at 1320. We held that the trial court was not required to conduct a hearing because our examination of the letter revealed that Smith had not questioned the competence of defense counsel's representation. Id. at 1321 (citing Hardwick v. State, 521 So.2d 1071, 1074-75 (Fla.1988)). In his petition, Smith now argues that in a prior letter to the retrial court he did question counsel's competence. He notes that the November 1989 letter referred to a prior letter and has attached what he claims is that letter. He alleges that the prior letter was misfiled in another case pending against him at the time of retrial and that postconviction counsel located it in a district court appellate record. Smith further alleges that the newly found letter demonstrates that the appellate record was incomplete and thus this Court's decision was based on an error of fact. This is incorrect. Our prior decision was based on the letter that was of record. Any claim regarding this newly discovered letter is separate from the issue of the November 1989 letter and has no effect on our holding regarding it. Alternatively, Smith contends that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to locate this letter and raise a claim regarding it on appeal. The requirements for establishing a claim based on ineffective assistance of appellate counsel parallel the standards announced in Strickland. The [p]etitioner must show 1) specific errors or omissions which show that appellate counsel's performance deviated from the norm or fell outside the range of professionally acceptable performance and 2) the deficiency of that performance compromised the appellate process to such a degree as to undermine confidence in the fairness and correctness of the appellate result. Wilson v. Wainwright, 474 So.2d 1162, 1163 (Fla.1985). Under this standard, counsel cannot ordinarily be considered ineffective for failing to raise issues that are procedurally barred because they were not properly raised during the trial court proceedings. See Rutherford v. Moore, 774 So.2d 637, 643 (Fla.2000). Moreover, appellate counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to raise nonmeritorious claims on appeal. See id. Assuming, without deciding, that this letter is genuine and was misfiled as Smith alleges, we deny the claim. Our review of the letter reveals that Smith's statements can best be characterized as generalized complaints that are simply insufficient to warrant any inquiry. See Logan v. State, 846 So.2d 472, 477 (Fla.2003) (holding hearing unnecessary where the defendant merely expresses dissatisfaction with his attorney). Because the issue lacks merit, appellate counsel was not ineffective for failing to raise it in the direct appeal. In addition, appellate counsel has no duty to go beyond the record on appeal. See Rutherford, 774 So.2d at 646 (Appellate counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to investigate and present facts in order to support an issue on appeal. The appellate record is limited to the record presented to the trial court.).