Redington v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

8 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. “Even the intelligent and educated layman has small and sometimes no skill in the science of law. If charged with crime, he is incapable, generally, of determining for himself whether the indictment is good or bad. He is unfamiliar with the rules of evidence. Left without the aid of counsel he may be put on trial without a proper charge, and convicted upon incompetent evidence, or evidence irrelevant to the issue or otherwise inadmissible. He lacks both the skill and knowledge adequately to prepare his defense, even though he have a perfect one. He requires the guiding hand of counsel at every step in the proceedings against him. Without it, though he be not guilty, he faces the danger of conviction because he does not know how to establish his innocence.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Hopper v. State · Greer v. State

2. ““The record must demonstrate that [the criminal defendant] is fully aware of the nature, extent and importance of the right he has waived and the possible consequences thereof so ‘Ms choice is made with Ms eyes open.’ ” The consequence of proceeding pro se is the polestar of any ad-momshment or warning concerning waiving the right to counsel. There is no rigid mandate which sets forth specific inquiries or warnings wMch a trial court should make before determining that a waiver is voluntary and mtelligent. Accordingly, [the law of Indiana generally requires] a warmng to the effect that a defendant will be held to the “ground rules” of- trial procedure, that the defendant will be treated like an attorney, responsible for making objections and following procedural and ev-identiary rules, and that the defendant be made aware of the pitfalls of self-representation.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Greer v. State · Butler v. State

3. “A guilty plea hearing is, of course, a proceeding of an entirely different nature than a trial. A criminal defendant at a guilty plea hearing will not be confronted with the necessity of being educated on the subjects of trial procedure, evidence, examining witnesses or making objections.... Where the reason underlying the admonishments is absent, a trial court is not required to engage in superfluous warnings which have no bearing to the proceeding at hand.”

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