Fields v. State

OPINION

in which ANDERSON, C.J., and DROWOTA, BIRCH, and HOLDER, JJ„ joined.

The sole issue in this appeal is whether our decision in State v. Burns, 6 S.W.3d 453 (Tenn.1999), changed the standard by which appellate courts review denials of post-conviction relief based on allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel. The Court of Criminal Appeals in this case affirmed the denial of the appellant’s post-conviction petition, although it expressed concern that this Court inadvertently changed the standard of appellate review in Bums to require a de novo review of a trial court’s factual…