490
Opinion of Souter, J.
client before the client makes his decision about appeal. Thus, ABA Standards for Criminal Justice 21-2.2(b) (2d ed. 1980):
"Defense counsel should advise a defendant on the meaning of the court's judgment, of defendant's right to appeal, on the possible grounds for appeal, and of the probable outcome of appealing. Counsel should also advise of any posttrial proceedings that might be pursued before or concurrent with an appeal. While counsel should do what is needed to inform and advise defendant, the decision whether to appeal, like the decision whether to plead guilty, must be the defendant's own choice."
See also ABA Standards for Criminal Justice, Defense Function 4-8.2(a) (3d ed. 1993) (stating that trial counsel "should explain to the defendant the meaning and consequences of the court's judgment and defendant's right of appeal" and "should give the defendant his or her professional judgment as to whether there are meritorious grounds for appeal and as to the probable results of an appeal"); id., 4-8.2, Commentary ("[C]ounsel [has the duty] to discuss frankly and objectively with the defendant the matters to be considered in deciding whether to appeal. . . . To make the defendant's ultimate choice a meaningful one, counsel's evaluation of the case must be communicated in a comprehensible manner. . . . [T]rial counsel should always consult promptly with the defendant after making a careful appraisal of the prospects of an appeal"); ABA Standards for Criminal Justice 21-3.2(b)(i).
So also the ABA Model Code of Professional Responsibility, EC 2-31 (1991), provides that: "Trial counsel for a convicted defendant should continue to represent his client by advising whether to take an appeal . . . ." Likewise ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.3, Comment (1996): "[I]f a lawyer has handled a judicial or administrative proceeding that produced a result adverse to the client but has not been spe-
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