Villarreal v. Texas · ¶52

“[B]efore he begins to testify,” a defendant “has an absolute right” to confer with his lawyer. Perry, 488 U. S., at 281; accord, Geders, 425 U. S., at 88. Once he begins to testify, what was absolute becomes qualified, as “the testifying defendant does not have a constitutional right to advice” about his “ongoing testimony.” Perry, 488 U. S., at 284. But the testifying defendant “does have a constitutional right to discuss” “matters that go beyond the content of [his] own testimony,” even though “such discussions will inevitably include some consideration of the defendant's ongoing testimony.” Ibid.; accord, Geders, 425 U. S., at 88, 91. We say no more than that today.

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