Stock v. Montana

¶26 I generally agree with the result and reasoning of the Coral;. I write separately to address the problems created where, as here, counsel alleges his own ineffective assistance on appeal after representing a client at trial.

¶27 It is both honorable and ethical for a lawyer to put his client’s interests before his own and admit to error. However, evaluating claims of ineffective assistance of counsel requires an objective analysis of the lawyer’s professional conduct or lack thereof. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687-88, 104 S. Ct. at 2064-65. An inherent conflict of interest *91arises when counsel…