93 Conn. App. 458 - State v. Flanagan’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. ““ ‘[The Defendant]: Excuse me, Your Honor. Don’t I have the right to finish this case myself without him there? “ ‘The Court: In a word, no. But are you making that request to represent yourself in the remainder of the case? “ ‘[The Defendant]: I mean, if he’s not going to do what I feel is in my best interest, I don’t think that he should be my attorney. I mean, this is my life. Like I explained to him, when this is over, if I lose, he just goes on to another case. I’m the one who has to go to jail. And he’s not doing what I feel is in my best interest. He’s doing what he feels is in his best interest, not mine. So, I don’t understand how his interest comes before my interest. “ ‘The Court: Well, it doesn’t appear to me, Mr. Flanagan, based on my observations of [your attorney’s] performance from January 8,2003, to today, which is March 18, 2003, that his decisions and his actions have been in his interest as opposed to yours. So, I’m—and I can’t imagine why he’d be changing courses now. I mean, [your attorney’s] decisions, as best as I have observed, have been solely in your interest. And his performance has been beyond competent and, in my view, superior over the last two and one-half months. So, while you may disapprove of his trial tactics, and I understand your feelings, his obligation is to consult with you and then to make his best professional decisions. The fact that you disagree with him over trial tactics does not, at this stage of the case where the state is abou”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 102 Conn. App. 105 - State v. Flanagan · State v. Flanagan

2. “I can't fully appreciate your feelings because I'm not in your place. I certainly understand, I think, your reservations, having gone through this experience once. At the same time, these are [your attorney's] decisions. He's a very experienced attorney. He has tried many cases. I've had the opportunity to observe his performance in this case from . . . January 8, 2003, when we had some hearings on motions. As far as I'm concerned, his performance has been beyond competent and been superior. If these are his decisions, I'm sure he has given them ample consideration. I'm sure he has taken into consideration your feelings about it, and those are decisions that are left to the attorney for good reason, sir.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 102 Conn. App. 105 - State v. Flanagan

3. “[The Defendant]: I mean, if he's not going to do what I feel is in my best interest, I don't think that he should be my attorney. I mean, this is my life. Like I explained to him, when this is over, if I lose, he just goes on to another case. I'm the one who has to go to jail. And he's not doing what I feel is in my best interest. He's doing what he feels is in his best interest, not mine. So, I don't understand how his interest comes before my interest.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 102 Conn. App. 105 - State v. Flanagan