Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Law and Legal Definition
Ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and on direct appeal violates a defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial. The lack of assistance must be of a nature that the defendant was deprived of a fair trial and just outcome. There is no precise definition that applies to ineffective assistance of counsel and each case must be judged on its own facts. The defendant must show that counsel's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness under prevailing professional norms.
