Opinion ID: 2440969
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Jury Instruction

Text: ¶ 34 Defendant's postconviction petition also contained an allegation that counsel was ineffective for failing to request a reckless conduct jury instruction. We need not address this issue. Partial summary dismissals are not permitted under the Post-Conviction Hearing Act. People v. Rivera, 198 Ill.2d 364, 261 Ill.Dec. 336, 763 N.E.2d 306 (2001). Because we have concluded that defendant's petition sets forth a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel with respect to the delayed Montgomery ruling which survives summary dismissal, the entire petition must be remanded for further proceedings, regardless of the merits of any other claims. Further, because the appellate court erred in holding that defendant's claim of ineffective assistance regarding the Montgomery issue was subject to summary dismissal, the appellate court erred in addressing the ineffective assistance claim regarding the jury instructionthere was no need to reach that claim. Accordingly, we vacate that portion of the appellate court opinion which held that defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel with respect to the jury instruction was frivolous or patently without merit.