State v. Thornton’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

27 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 27 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““(1) the background, the experience, and the conduct of the defendant at the hearing, including his age, his education, and his physical and mental health; (2) the extent to which the defendant has had prior contact with lawyers before the hearing; (3) the defendant’s knowledge of the nature of the proceeding and the sentence that may potentially be [ ]imposed; (4) the question of whether standby counsel has been appointed and the extent to which he or she has aided the defendant before or at the hearing; (5) the question of whether the waiver of counsel was the result of mistreatment or coercion; and (6) the question of whether the defendant is trying to manipulate the events of the hearing.” Id.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Ana M. Cruz · State v. Bluitt

2. ““[Tjhere is ample evidence in that record to establish that Thornton voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently waived his Sixth Amendment right to counsel, and contrary to the dissent’s contention, no specific finding on the record by the trial justice to that effect was required.” Thornton, 800 A.2d at 1031 .”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Bluitt

3. “We accord great deference to the trial justice's factual determination that [the defendant's] requests for new counsel had been strategically motivated to manipulate and delay the start of his trial, and it is reasonable for us to weigh the manipulative intent factor heavily against [the defendant].”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Mario Souto