Legal Opinion
Richter v. Hickman
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Decided August 10, 2009No. 06-15614PublishedCited by 60 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion by Judge REINHARDT; Dissent by Judge BYBEE
REINHARDT, Circuit Judge:
To ... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues.
—Sun Tzu, The Art of War 83
(Samuel B. Griffith trans., Oxford University Press 1963)
At the heart of an effective defense is an adequate investigation. Without sufficient investigation, a defense attorney, no matter how intelligent or persuasive in court, renders deficient performance and jeopardizes his client’s defense.
Here, counsel did not meet his basic obligation to his client. Much was riding on…
2Cases cited26 opinions
- Strickland v. WashingtonSupreme Court of the United States · 1984
- Brady v. MarylandSupreme Court of the United States · 1963
- Williams v. TaylorSupreme Court of the United States · 2000
- Wiggins v. Smith, WardenSupreme Court of the United States · 2003
- Lockyer v. AndradeSupreme Court of the United States · 2003
21 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by60 opinions
- Harrington v. RichterSupreme Court of the United States · 2011
- Edward Thomas Kendrick, III v. State of TennesseeTennessee Supreme Court · 2015
- Harrington v. RichterSupreme Court of the United States · 2011
- Hein v. SullivanCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 2010
- Hamilton v. AyersCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 2009
55 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.