California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Robinson, B259873 (Cal. App. 2016):
Finally, in considering a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, it is not necessary to determine whether counsel's performance was deficient before examining the prejudice suffered by the defendant as a result of the alleged deficiencies. "'If it is easier to dispose of an ineffectiveness claim on the ground of lack of sufficient prejudice, which we expect will often be so, that course should be followed.'" (People v. Carrasco (2014) 59 Cal.4th 924, 982, quoting Strickland v. Washington, supra, 466 U.S. at p. 697.)
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