BYRON MITCHELL
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA

Fla. 3d DCA | 2024-08-21
No. 2023-1755
James, J., Fernandez, J., Miller, J., Lobree, J.
2024 FL 10272 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2024)

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Holding

Counsel's failure to file a motion to disqualify the trial judge does not constitute ineffective assistance where the motion would not have succeeded.


Headnotes

[1] A trial judge's expressions of impatience, dissatisfaction, annoyance, or anger that fall within the bounds of imperfect human behavior do not establish bias or partialit…

[2] Trial counsel's failure to file a motion to disqualify a trial judge does not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel under Strickland v. …

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Key Quotes

“A defendant does not satisfy either prong of Strickland when claiming that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to file a motion to disqualify if counsel would not have prevailed on the motion.”

Diaz v. State, cited for the proposition that unsuccessful disqualification motions cannot support ineffective assistance claims.

Facts & Procedural History

Byron Mitchell appealed his conviction, claiming his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to file a motion to disqualify the trial judge. The tri…

The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.

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Opinion of the Court

Third District Court of Appeal State of Florida

Opinion filed August 21, 2024. Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.

________________

No. 3D23-1755 Lower Tribunal No. F16-3043 ________________

Byron Mitchell, Appellant,

vs.

The State of Florida, Appellee.

An appeal from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Zachary James, Judge.

The Law Office of Robert David Malove, P.A., Hani Demetrious, and Robert David Malove (Fort Lauderdale), for appellant.

Ashley Moody, Attorney General, and Katryna Santa Cruz, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.

Before FERNANDEZ, MILLER, and LOBREE, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

Affirmed. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 669 (1984) (“A convicted defendant’s claim that counsel’s assistance was so defective as to require reversal of a conviction . . . requires that the defendant show, first, that counsel’s performance was deficient and, second, that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense so as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial.”); see also Long v. State, 183 So. 3d 342, 345 (Fla. 2016) (“The defendant must specifically identify acts or omissions of counsel that were manifestly outside the wide range of reasonably competent performance under prevailing professional norms.”); Alcorn v. State, 121 So. 3d 419, 430 (Fla. 2013) (“[T]o show prejudice, the defendant must demonstrate a reasonable probability, defined as a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome, that (1) he . . . would have accepted the offer had counsel advised the defendant correctly, (2) the prosecutor would not have withdrawn the offer, (3) the court would have accepted the offer, and (4) the conviction or sentence, or both, under the offer’s terms would have been less severe than under the judgment and sentence that in fact were imposed.”); Dabbs v. State, 330 So. 3d 50, 55–56 (Fla. 4th DCA 2021) (distinguishing between personal bias and judicial bias when evaluating likelihood of success in disqualification motions); Liteky v. United States, 510 U.S. 540, 555–56 (1994) (“Not establishing bias or partiality . . . are expressions of impatience, dissatisfaction, annoyance, and even anger, that are within the bounds of what imperfect men and women . . . sometimes display.”) (emphasis in original); Jimenez v. Ratine, 954 So. 2d 706, 708 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007) (determining trial judge’s comments must exceed “expressions of mere frustration, admonishment, or annoyance with counsel’s mannerisms, tactics, or abilities” to support disqualification); Schwab v. State, 814 So. 2d 402, 411 (Fla. 2002) (finding evidence of counsel’s experience and other efforts sufficiently supported his “informed tactical decision not to file a motion to disqualify” trial judge); Diaz v. State, 132 So. 3d 93, 115 (Fla. 2013) (“A defendant does not satisfy either prong of Strickland when claiming that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to file a motion to disqualify if counsel would not have prevailed on the motion.”).


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