Wright v. Angelone’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

7 federal appellate · 1 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “If Congress had intended to afford the States the very significant benefits conferred by Chapter 154 on the basis of a finding of substantial compliance based on past performance, it could have done so. However, it elected not to do so; and instead, Congress chose to confer those benefits only if the State made an affirmative, institutionalized, formal commitment to provide a post-conviction review system which Congress considered to be “crucial to ensuring fairness and protecting the constitutional rights of capital litigants.” Powell Committee Report at 3240. Where, as here, that commitment has not been made in the manner, and to the extent, prescribed by Congress, the. state is not entitled to the very significant benefits accorded by the Act.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 31 F. Supp. 2d 1175 - Ashmus v. Calderon

2. “Surely Congress did not intend for a state to reap the benefits of the statute unless the petitioner whose case would be subject to the expedited review also enjoyed the “quid pro quo benefits” of the state’s enhanced right to counsel provisions during the post-conviction review process. Whether a state’s system satisfies the requirements of [Chapter 154] should be determined by examining the system as it existed at the time a petitioner first received appointment of counsel in the post-conviction process. It is at this time that a petitioner is first subject to the state’s procedures, and would therefore be entitled to enjoy the protections of the state’ system.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 31 F. Supp. 2d 1175 - Ashmus v. Calderon

3. “A. The Public Defender Commission, in conjunction with the Virginia State Bar, shall adopt standards for the appointment of counsel in capital cases, which take into consideration, to the extent practicable, the following criteria: (i) license or permission to practice law in Virginia; (ii) general background in criminal litigation; (iii) demonstrated experience in felony practice at trial and appeal; (iv) experience in death penalty litigation; (v) familiarity with the requisite court system; (vi) experience in death penalty litigation; and (vii) demonstrated proficiency and commitment to quality representation.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Hill v. Butterworth