The court may excuse your failure to attach supporting affidavits or evidence if you allege ineffective assistance of counsel. Failing to inform defendant of class X sentencing eligibility constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel.Note that claiming ineffective assistance of counsel means that you give up some of your attorney-client confidentiality privileges with that attorney. Discover Illinois' ineffective assistance of counsel standards for a claim involving trial, appellate, or plea agreement counsel. The Supreme Court of Illinois decided that "a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel must come from the defendant himself" in People v. Bates. Sentence based on ineffective assistance of counsel. Nearly every federal criminal defendant will be found guilty, whether pursuant to a plea agreement or a trial. What Happens When A Defendant Tells The Judge His Trial Attorney Made Errors? You can file a motion in the lower court to vacate the judgment based on ineffective assistance of counsel.