State v. Lee’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

9 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 9 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Both of these requests came immediately before the trial began. Both of the points presented are purely discretionary matter for the court and we find no abuse of discretion. First, because an accused in a criminal proceedings has no absolute right to be represented by counsel of his own choosing, State v. Jefferies, 504 S.W.2d 6 (Mo. 1974). Secondly, here defendant had from October 3, 1973, when an attorney from the Public Defender's Office was first designated to handle his case, until the time of trial, December 13, 1973, to obtain different counsel. Clearly, it is not an abuse of discretion to deny a last minute request for a continuance to find new counsel. The trial court must consider the interest of the public in effective and efficient administration of justice particularly when it appears that the accused will not be denied skilled and effective representation. State v. Jefferies, supra. * * * The same reasoning prevails in assessing the propriety of the trial court's refusal to permit appointed counsel to withdraw. The matter of the withdrawal of counsel is normally within the discretion of the trial court. State v. Wilkinson, 423 S.W.2d 693 (Mo.1968). By the standards of State v. Jefferies, supra, the trial court has not abused its discretion in this case.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Washington