Whether the court of appeals improperly denied the Petitioner a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) on his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel and whether the district court erred by ruling without an evidentiary hearing

No question identified. : A. QUESTION PR ESENTED FOR REVIEW Whether the court of appeal s improperl y denied the Petitioner a certificate of appeal ability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) on his claim that his counsel were ineffecti ve for failing to advise him regardi ng available defenses in this case – and whether the district court erred by ruling on this claim without first affordi ng the Petitioner an evidenti ary heari ng. ii B. PAR TIES INVOLVED The parti es involved are i denti fied in the styl e of the case. iii