Opinion ID: 222859
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Counsel's inexperience and caseload

Text: Woods argues that, because his two primary defense attorneys faced unmanageable caseloads and were inexperienced in capital litigation, their performance was deficient. The district court rejected that argument, and so do we. Woods points out several troubling aspects of his counsel's experience and caseload. For example, neither of Woods's attorneys had ever tried a capital case before. One of Woods's attorneys was the lead attorney on four other murder cases during the time he was representing Woods, while the other was responsible for three other aggravated murder cases. In fact, just weeks before trial, Woods's defense attorney requested an extended continuance, explaining that he had never prepared for a case of this magnitude before and that he did not feel comfortable beginning the trial. The court denied this request. Despite these alleged deficiencies, these circumstances do not, in and of themselves, amount to a Strickland violation. Rather, Woods must point to specific acts or omissions that may have resulted from counsel's inexperience and other professional obligations. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052. Thus, Woods is not entitled to relief on this sub-claim alone.