Court Opinion

ID: 9457782
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 20:32:46.032653+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:35:30.334180
License: Public Domain

HOLLOWAY, Circuit Judge
(concurring and dissenting):
I agree with the majority opinion in the affirmance of the judgment with respect to appellant McIntosh for lack of exhaustion of State remedies, but respectfully dissent from the disposition as to appellant Hill.
Appellant Hill’s petition alleges that petitioners were represented by inadequate and ineffective counsel; that the attorney failed to file a brief and made no request for oral argument; and that they were therefore denied due process and equal protection. The opinion of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals reflects that no brief was filed and that no extension of time therefor was re*682quested. See Hill v. State of Oklahoma, 444 P.2d 223. And as the opinion shows the cause was therefore summarily submitted for an opinion under the Court’s Rules with examination only for “fundamental error.” 1
Such review on the Court’s own motion is a most desirable protection against violation of fundamental rights. However, without a brief or argument the Oklahoma Court’s review was understandably narrowed. The procedure was transformed into one lacking the “active role of an advocate . . . ” Entsminger v. Iowa, 386 U.S. 748, 751, 87 S.Ct. 1402, 18 L.Ed.2d 501. Whether there were particular issues which were not illumined so that the appeal was prejudiced, we cannot know since the facts were not developed. In short I feel a hearing is needed to determine whether there was “ineffective assistance of counsel so as to deny appellant a meaningful appeal.” Sanford v. White, 398 F.2d 479, 481 (5th Cir.).2
While appellant’s counsel was retained, the measure of effective representation for due process purposes is fundamentally the same for retained and appointed counsel. See Ellis v. State of Oklahoma, 430 F.2d 1352, 1356 (10th Cir.); Bell v. State of Alabama, 367 F. 2d 243, 247 (5th Cir.); and Holland v. Henderson, 317 F.Supp. 438, 442 (E.D. La.). There may be circumstances about the arrangements and instructions by appellant to his retained counsel which have a bearing on whether appellant was unfairly prejudiced by ineffective representation, or whether counsel did all he was instructed and obligated to do. Nevertheless, the fact that eoun-sel was retained cannot dispense with the basic protection of due process.
I agree with the majority opinion’s affirmance of the denial of relief on all of appellant Hill’s claims except that of alleged ineffective counsel, but believe that the cause should be remanded for an evidentiary hearing on the merits of that claim.

. The opinion refers to the restricted examination given an appeal in such instances by quoting Ashby v. State of Oklahoma, Okl.Cr.App., 406 P.2d 1007, 1008:
“Where the defendant appeals from a Judgment of conviction and no briefs are filed in support of the petition in error this Court will examine the records only for fundamental error. If none appears of record the Judgment will be affirmed.”

. I find no showing in our record that the merits of the claim of ineffective appellate counsel was considered on an evidentiary hearing in the earlier proceedings referred to in the majority opinion. Therefore, I do not feel that the claim should be denied on the ground of the earlier ruling, and believe instead that the ends of justice call for an evidentiary hearing on the constitutional claim. See Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 16-17, 83 S.Ct. 1068, 10 L.Ed.2d 148.