8 canonical passages across 6 cases, quoted by 222 opinions in total. These passages cluster together because the same opinions keep quoting them side by side — they state parts of one doctrine. The anchor passage is from Blackledge v. Allison.
| # | Case | Flag | Canonical passage | Citers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackledge v. Allison Anchor | green | “solemn declarations in open court carry a strong presumption of verity.” | 85 |
| 2 | Blackledge v. Allison | green | “solemn declarations in open court carry a strong presumption of verity. the subsequent presentation of conclusory allegations unsupported by specifics is subject to summary dismissal, as are contentions that in the face of the record are wholly incredible.” | 72 |
| 3 | United States v. Ishmael Santiago | green | “when the government's case is strong," a 2255 petitioner "faces a nearly insurmountable obstacle to showing that it would have been rational to go to trial.” | 14 |
| 4 | Blackledge v. Allison | green | “the subsequent presentation of conclusory allegations unsupported by specifics is subject to summary dismissal, as are contentions that in the face of the record are wholly incredible.” | 13 |
| 5 | Smith v. Murray | green | “winnowing out weaker arguments on appeal and focusing on those more likely to prevail ... is the hallmark of effective appellate advocacy.” | 11 |
| 6 | Knowles v. Mirzayance | green | “this court has never required defense counsel to pursue every claim or defense, regardless of its merit, viability, or realistic chance for success.” | 11 |
| 7 | United States v. Michael J. Mikalajunas, United States of America v. Craig E. Largent, United States of America v. Michael J. Mikalajunas | green | “misapplication of the guidelines typically does not constitute a miscarriage of justice.” | 10 |
| 8 | United States v. Calvin Dyess | green | “vague and conclusory allegations contained in a 2255 petition may be disposed of without further investigation by the district court.” | 6 |
A red or yellow flag on a member means the underlying case has negative treatment — for those, check the case page before relying on the passage.