ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL CLAIMS IN NORTH CAROLINA IN CRIMINAL CASES (UNC School of. North Carolina law allows a defendant to file a motion when their attorney provided ineffective counsel.According to Westlaw, 734 criminal cases in Texas appellate courts discussed claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to the reasonably effective assistance of counsel in state criminal prosecutions. To prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must first show that his counsel's performance was deficient. The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the court of appeals concluding that Defendant received ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. Ineffective assistance of counsel can be grounds for overturning a criminal conviction. In the U.S., ineffective assistance of counsel is in criminal matters and can be an issue on appeal from a conviction. This research guide includes information and resources on ineffective assistance of counsel in criminal cases. Counsel is ineffective when "a.