NICHOLAS CHRISTOPHER FERRO
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA

Fla. 3d DCA | 2021-07-21
No. 19-1833
Sterrett, Chabot, Fay, Tannenwald, Featherston, Hall, Drennen, Goffe, Wiles, Wilbur, Nims
Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2021) Positive Treatment
Cited by 8 cases

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Holding

Strategic decisions by trial counsel do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel when the attorney considered and rejected alternative courses and the decision was reasonable under professional norms.


Headnotes

[1] Judicial scrutiny of counsel's performance must be highly deferential.

[2] Strategic decisions by counsel do not constitute ineffective assistance if alternative courses were considered and rejected, and the decision was reasonable under profess…

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Key Quotes

“Judicial scrutiny of counsel's performance must be highly deferential.”

Standard of review for ineffective assistance of counsel claims

Facts & Procedural History

Nicholas Christopher Ferro appealed a conviction from Monroe County Circuit Court, raising an ineffective assistance of counsel claim regarding his tr…

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Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

Affirmed. See Durousseau v. State, 218 So. 3d 405, 410 (Fla. 2017) (“Judicial scrutiny of counsel’s performance must be highly deferential.”

(quoting Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 689 (1984))); Occhicone v. State, 768 So. 2d 1037, 1048 (Fla. 2000) (“[S]trategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been considered and rejected and counsel’s decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct.”); see also Peede v. State, 955 So. 2d 480, 494 (Fla. 2007) (“The fact that [defendant] produced more favorable expert testimony at his evidentiary hearing is not reason enough to deem trial counsel ineffective. Postconviction experts have the benefit of hindsight, and of researching for a long period of time the factual circumstances surrounding the case with the benefit of the trial record.” (internal citation omitted)); Henry v. State, 948 So. 2d 609, 620 (Fla. 2006) (“When determining whether counsel’s performance is deficient, our duty is to make every effort ‘to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight . . . [and] evaluate the conduct from counsel’s perspective at the time [counsel prepared for trial].’” (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689)).


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Citator

Cited By

  • …2d 549 (3d Cir.1977) (gambling); Pizzarello v. U.S., 408 F. 2d 579 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 396 U.S. 986, 90 S.Ct. 481, 24 L.Ed.2d 450 (1969) (gambling); Dellacroce v. Commissioner, 83 T.C. 269 (1984) (racketeering payoff); Llorente v. Commissioner, 74 T.C. 260 (1980), aff'd in part and rev’d in part, 649 F. 2d 152 (2d Cir.1981) (drugs). Given the obvious difficulties in proving the nonreceipt of income, we believe the Commissioner should have to provide evidence linking the taxpayer to the tax-generating…
  • United States v. Walton, 909 F.2d 915 (6th Cir. 1990)
    …has held that it will entertain a taxpayer’s bare allegation of arbitrariness if the Commissioner has relied solely on the presumption of correctness and does not submit any direct evidence in support of the assessment. See Llorente v. Commissioner, 74 T.C. 260, 264 (1980), aff'd in part and rev’d in part on other grounds, 649 F. 2d 152 (2d Cir.1981); Jackson v. Commissioner, 73 T.C. 394, 410 (1979). Here, the government placed certificates of assessment in evidence, to which the presumption of correctnes…
  • Gatlin v. Commissioner OF Internal Revenue, 754 F.2d 921 (11th Cir. 1985)
    …e evidence, motives, policies or procedures that may influence the Commissioner in making his determination. As a general rule, the Tax Court will not honor such a request. See Conforte v. Commissioner, 74 T.C. 1160 (1980); Llórente v. Commissioner, 74 T.C. 260 (1980). The rationale for this general rule, as stated by the Tax Court is well settled, “a trial before the Tax Court is a proceeding de novo; our determination of a petitioner’s tax liability must be based on the merits of the case and not any pre…

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