Opinion ID: 888927
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Issue 1: Did counsel provide ineffective assistance when he failed to file an affidavit concerning the justification for the stop of Campa's vehicle?

Text: ¶ 17 To prove an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the defendant has the burden to show: 1) the performance of his counsel was deficient; and 2) that his counsel's performance prejudiced the defense. Whitlow, ¶ 10 (citing Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 2064, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984)). To show prejudice sufficient to satisfy the second Strickland prong, a defendant must demonstrate that a reasonable possibility exists that, but for counsel's unprofessional error, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Hammer v. State, 2008 MT 342, ¶ 11, 346 Mont. 279, 194 P.3d 699. When it is possible to dispose of an ineffective assistance of counsel claim because a defendant fails to establish that the alleged error was sufficiently prejudicial to require a new trial, it is best to follow that course. Hammer, ¶ 10. ¶ 18 The search of a probationer's effects may be conducted without a search warrant and pursuant to the lesser standard of reasonable cause, rather than probable cause. State v. Smith, 2008 MT 7, ¶ 15, 341 Mont. 82, 176 P.3d 258. The rationale for applying the lesser standard is that a probationer has a diminished expectation of privacy and a supervising probation officer is in a position to determine the level of supervision necessary to provide rehabilitation to the probationer and safety to the community. Determining the existence of reasonable cause to conduct a probationary search involves a factual inquiry based on the totality of the circumstances. Smith, ¶ 15; State v. Beaudry, 282 Mont. 225, 230, 937 P.2d 459, 462 (1997). ¶ 19 In this case, Welling knew of Campa's long history of drug use. She had recent knowledge that Campa was actively using dangerous drugs. She saw Campa stop his car, get out of the car leaving the motor running, go into a house she knew to be associated with drug activity, come out again in a very short time and drive off. Without consideration of whether Rodriguez was a felon, we conclude that Welling had reasonable cause to stop Campa's vehicle and conduct a search. As the stop and search of Campa's person and vehicle was legal, even if Welling was wrong about Rodriguez's criminal history, the outcome of Campa's motion to suppress would have been the same. Thus, Campa cannot establish he was prejudiced by counsel's failure to attach the affidavit of Rodriguez to the proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.