NCJ Number
40880
Journal
Texas Law Review Volume: 55 Issue: 2 Dated: (JANUARY 1977) Pages: 193-268
Date Published
1977
Length
76 pages
Annotation
THE THESIS OF THE ARTICLE IS THAT THE DOCTRINE OF WAIVER MUST BE STRUCTURED TO CONTAIN SUFFICIENT PREDICTIVE VALUE TO ENSURE FINALITY OF CONVICTIONS THAT ARE BASED IN WHOLE OR IN PART UPON WAIVER OF PROCEDURAL RIGHTS.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR TRACES THE PRESENT CONFUSION IN THE LAW OF WAIVER TO TWO SOURCES. FIRST, COURTS HAVE FAILED TO DISTINGUISH THE ISSUE OF WAIVER FROM THE ISSUES OF THE SCOPE OF PROCEDURAL RIGHTS AND OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE RIGHTS. SECOND, COURTS HAVE EMPLOYED AN AMORPHOUS STANDARD OF VOLUNTARINESS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WAIVERS. THE AUTHOR PROPOSES A NARROW DEFINITION OF WAIVER THAT WOULD FOCUS ON THE EFFECT TO BE GIVEN A DEFENDANT'S CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO FOREGO A RIGHT AND THAT WOULD LEAVE THE OTHER ISSUES FOR THE SEPARATE CONSIDERATION THEY DESERVE. IN PLACE OF THE VAGUE BUT TRADITIONAL TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES TEST FOR VOLUNTARINESS, A POLICY ANALYSIS IS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE AWARENESS A DEFENDANT MUST HAVE AND THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT MUST NOT AFFECT HIS DECISION IF A WAIVER IS TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES WITH AN ANALYSIS OF CAPACITY TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE WAIVER. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP