Cornwell v. Dodd

Fletcher, Presiding Justice.

Joseph D. Cornwell, Jr., filed a petition for the writ of habeas corpus alleging ineffective assistance of his trial counsel. The habeas court denied the petition, and we granted Cornwell’s application to consider whether representation by a lawyer who has been suspended from the practice of law is ineffective assistance of counsel. Following the majority rule, we hold that an attorney does not render ineffective assistance of counsel as a matter of law when he or she is suspended from the practice of law due solely to a failure to comply with administrative rules…