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Hetrick v. Keeney

Citations: 77 Or. App. 506; 713 P.2d 688Docket: 153,250; CA A35783

Court: Court of Appeals of Oregon; January 28, 1986; Oregon; State Appellate Court

Narrative Opinion Summary

The trial court's denial of the plaintiff's petition for post-conviction relief is upheld. The plaintiff contended that his previous counsel in another post-conviction proceeding provided inadequate assistance by failing to raise specific issues and not appealing the unfavorable judgment. The court found that the grounds for post-conviction relief, as defined by ORS 138.530(1), require a substantial denial of a constitutional right during the conviction or appellate process. Since the claimed inadequacy of prior post-conviction counsel is not included among the specified grounds, the plaintiff is not entitled to relief. The court affirms the summary judgment for the defendant.

Legal Issues Addressed

Ineffective Assistance of Post-Conviction Counsel

Application: The court concluded that the plaintiff's claims of inadequate assistance by prior post-conviction counsel do not qualify as grounds for post-conviction relief under the relevant statute.

Reasoning: Since the claimed inadequacy of prior post-conviction counsel is not included among the specified grounds, the plaintiff is not entitled to relief.

Standards for Post-Conviction Relief

Application: The court applied ORS 138.530(1) to determine that the plaintiff's claims did not meet the criteria for post-conviction relief, as they did not involve a substantial denial of a constitutional right during the conviction or appellate process.

Reasoning: The court found that the grounds for post-conviction relief, as defined by ORS 138.530(1), require a substantial denial of a constitutional right during the conviction or appellate process.

Summary Judgment in Post-Conviction Proceedings

Application: The court affirmed the summary judgment for the defendant, indicating that the plaintiff's petition did not present a valid legal claim under the statute.

Reasoning: The court affirms the summary judgment for the defendant.