State v. Williams’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

14 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 14 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Deficiencies arising from the guilty plea colloquy are errors patent and the reviewing court is bound to recognize them. State v. Godejohn, 425 So.2d 750 (La.1983); LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 920(2). For a guilty plea to be valid, there must be a showing that the defendant was informed of and waived his constitutional rights of trial by jury and confrontation and the right against compulsory self-incrimination. Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238 , 89 S.Ct. 1709 , 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969); State ex rel. Jackson v. Henderson, 260 La. 90 , 255 So.2d 85 (1971). The defendant must also be apprised of the maximum penalty exposure in order to enter a knowing and intelligent plea of guilty. State ex rel. LaFleur v. Donnelly, 416 So.2d 82 (La.1982); State v. Smith, 513 So.2d 544 (La.App.2d Cir.1987). * * * Failure to advise the defendant of the maximum sentence of the crime to which he pleads is error patent. State v. Young, 535 So.2d 1150 (La.App.2d Cir. 1988).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 701 So. 2d 1067 - State v. Ledet

2. “[w]e are naturally reluctant to set aside guilty pleas as not knowingly or willingly entered. However, the shortcoming found here is reversible error which we are bound to notice. [Citations omitted]. Moreover, various policy considerations involved in the instant case counsel in favor of this resolution. A sentence of 99 years with eligibility for parole can be understood as a sentence of much less than 99 years and one which a defendant might willingly risk by pleading guilty. The same sentence without benefit is, for all practical purposes, a life sentence, and one which a defendant might reasonably argue he did not willingly risk. [Citation omitted.] Williams, 554 So.2d at 141 .”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 635 So. 2d 481 - State v. Monroe