The following excerpt is from U.S. v. Finlay, 55 F.3d 1410 (9th Cir. 1995):
The Sixth Amendment imposes no affirmative duty on a trial court "to inquire into the propriety of multiple representations." Cuyler v. Sullivan, 446 U.S. 335, 348, 100 S.Ct. 1708, 1718, 64 L.Ed.2d 333 (1980). To establish a Sixth Amendment violation, "a defendant who raised no objection at trial must demonstrate that an actual conflict of interest adversely affected his lawyer's performance." Id. However, what is meant by "adversely affected" is glossed by the direction that a defendant "need not demonstrate prejudice in order to obtain relief." Id. at 349-350, 100 S.Ct. at 1719. His burden is less than showing actual harm; he must show actual conflict.
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.