Addison v. State

In Addison v. State, 191 Md. App. 159, 990 A.2d 614, cert. denied, 415 Md. 38, 997 A.2d 789 (2010), the Court reiterated that "statutory limitations and due process considerations do not permit an order of restitution for counseling expenses that are not yet certain to occur. We are mindful that the restitution statutes, because they are penal in nature and modify the common law, need to be strictly construed." In Addison, the trial court had suspended a ten-year prison sentence because it decided that a more appropriate sentence was to order appellant to pay restitution. Id. at 184. After holding that CP 11-603 does not authorize a court to order restitution for a victim's pain and suffering, the Court vacated the entire sentence, which included the ten years' incarceration that had been suspended, 200 hours of community service, completion of an anger management program, and court costs. Id. at 181, 184. The Court stated that: The Court of Appeals has repeatedly stated that the "desirable procedure" for presenting claims of ineffective assistance of counsel is through post-conviction proceedings. Johnson v. State, 292 Md. 405, 434, 439 A.2d 542 (1982) (citation and internal quotations omitted); see also, e.g., Ware v. State, 360 Md. 650, 706, 759 A.2d 764 (2000). In Johnson, the Court of Appeals explained: In essence, it is because the trial record does not ordinarily illuminate the basis for the challenged acts or omissions of counsel, that a claim of ineffective assistance is more appropriately made in a post conviction proceeding. Moreover, under the settled rules of appellate procedure, a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel not presented to the trial court generally is not an issue which will be reviewed initially on direct appeal, although competency of counsel may be raised for the first time at a post conviction proceeding. Upon such a collateral attack, there is presented an opportunity for taking testimony, receiving evidence, and making factual findings concerning the allegations of counsel's incompetence. By having counsel testify and describe his or her reasons for acting or failing to act in the manner complained of, the post conviction court is better able to determine intelligently whether the attorney's actions met the applicable standard of competence.