Hollingsworth v. Timmerman-Cooper

{¶ 1} Petitioner, Ernest Hollingsworth, filed a habeas corpus action in federal district court, asserting that he had received ineffective assistance of counsel at his criminal trial. Respondent, Deb Timmerman-Cooper, warden of the London Correctional Institution, countered that Hollingsworth’s plea of no contest in the underlying criminal case constituted a waiver of his right to the effective assistance of counsel. Hollingsworth objected, arguing that under Ohio law, the state may not use his no-contest plea and resulting conviction against him, including using the plea as evidence that he…