People of Michigan v. Frederic Tel Stringer, 352112

On June 26, 2019, Stringer punched his girlfriend, causing a laceration above her left eyebrow that required medical attention; he was charged with domestic violence, second offense.
The information included a fourth-offense habitual-offender enhancement.
Prosecutor offered a plea of 12 months in jail; Stringer rejected the offer and proceeded to a bench trial.
Stringer was convicted and, as a fourth-offense habitual offender, sentenced to 36 to 240 months’ imprisonment.
At sentencing Stringer claimed his attorney never explained the habitual-offender exposure; he later moved to vacate the conviction and sought specific performance of the plea offer.
The trial court denied relief, finding counsel received and customarily shared the amended information, Stringer understood the enhancement, and he maintained his innocence so a plea likely would not have been accepted; this Court affirmed.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Whether counsel was ineffective for failing to explain fourth-offender sentencing exposure and causing Stringer to reject a 12‑month plea	People: Counsel received amended information, customarily advised client of penalties, and defendant suffered no prejudice; court likely would not have accepted a plea from an insistently innocent defendant	Stringer: Counsel did not adequately explain the enhanced sentence exposure, so he rejected a more favorable plea	Court: No deficient performance and no prejudice under Strickland/Lafler; plea likely would not have been accepted because Stringer maintained innocence — affirmed
Whether the case should be remanded for a Ginther evidentiary hearing on counsel's effectiveness	People: No factual showing requiring development; deny remand	Stringer: Requested evidentiary hearing to develop records and testimony about counsel’s advice	Court: Denied remand — record adequate and no facts shown that would warrant a Ginther hearing

Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (established the two‑prong ineffective‑assistance test)
Lafler v. Cooper, 566 U.S. 156 (explains prejudice standard in plea‑offer ineffective‑assistance claims)
People v. Douglas, 496 Mich. 557 (standard of review for mixed questions of fact and law in ineffective‑assistance claims)
People v. White, 331 Mich. App. 144 (addresses plea factual‑basis and court’s ability to accept a plea from a defendant maintaining innocence)
People v. Ginther, 390 Mich. 436 (procedure for remanding for an evidentiary hearing on trial counsel effectiveness)