Court Opinion

ID: 9657178
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 20:16:46.016929+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:41.804623
License: Public Domain

M. G. Harrison, J.
(concurring). I concur in the result reached in this matter, but write separately to respectfully express my belief that, when deter*602mining whether defendant was denied effective assistance of counsel, the proper standard to be used is that contained in Strickland v Washington, 466 US 668; 104 S Ct 2052; 80 L Ed 2d 674 (1984), rather than that in People v Garcia, 398 Mich 250; 247 NW2d 547 (1976).
I am aware of the recent decisions in People v Vicuna, 141 Mich App 486; 367 NW2d 887 (1985), and People v White, 142 Mich App 581; 370 NW2d 405 (1985). However, in People v Bellanca, 386 Mich 708; 194 NW2d 863 (1972), the Court found that Const 1963, art 1, §20 accords a defendant the same right to effective assistance of counsel as contemplated in the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
From time to time the Michigan courts chart their own course in interpreting nearly identical provisions of the United States and Michigan Constitutions. In the opinion of this writer, such an approach is unwarranted unless a contrary result was indicated by the people of our state in their adoption of the Michigan Constitution. A review of the proceedings of the constitutional convention of 1961 shows no such indication as to the right to effective assistance of counsel. In fact, the language of the corresponding provisions of the two constitutions in this regard is identical.
At the time Garcia, supra, was decided, the Court’s adoption of the federal standard set out in Beasley v United States, 491 F2d 687, 696 (CA 6, 1974), was entirely consistent with interpreting the state right to effective assistance of counsel as being coextensive with federal constitutional guarantees. I am, therefore, persuaded that the later United States Supreme Court decision in Strickland, supra, is now the correct standard to apply in Michigan. Under either standard, however, defendant has not shown a violation of his right to *603effective assistance of counsel so as to require reversal.