Op-ed on right to effective assistance of counsel at the plea bargaining stage

In a recent Op-ed piece in the ABA Journal, Erwin Chemerinsky (dean of the Univ of California - Irvine law school) writes that "it is important to not lose sight of two [Supreme Court] cases that are likely to have a dramatic effect on lawyers and judges. In Missouri v. Frye and Lefler v. Cooper, the Supreme Court held that the Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel applies at the plea bargaining stage. Because about 95 percent of all criminal convictions are gained via guilty pleas, these cases will have a significant effect on the practice of law and also likely will lead to a large number of challenges by individuals seeking to have their pleas overturned."  You can read the full article here.


Thanks to the Legal Ethics Forum for the link.