Soundara v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

9 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 9 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “A defendant convicted of ... sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree ... may be sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment of not more than 99 years and shall be sentenced to a definite term within the following presumptive ranges, subject to adjustment as provided in AS 12.55.155-12.55.175: (E) if the offense is a third felony conviction and the defendant is not subject to sentencing under (F) of this paragraph or (I) of this section, 40 to 60 years; [and] (F) if the offense is a third felony conviction, the defendant is not subject to sentencing under (1) of this section, and the defendant has two prior convictions for sexual felonies, 99 years[.]”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Heavyrunner v. State · XEUY SIKEO v. State

2. “A mandatory minimum term is the least possible sentence that can be imposed for a particular crime. A mandatory minimum represents the legislature's assessment of how much prison time should be imposed on an offender even when the offender's background is extremely favorable and the offender has engaged in the most mitigated conduct within the definition of the offense. A presumptive term, on the other hand, is intended for a typical offender. The presumptive term "represents the legislature's judgement" as to the appropriate sentence for a typical felony offender (i.e., an offender with the specified number of prior felony convictions, and with a typical background) who commits a typical act within the definition of the offense.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Heavyrunner v. State

3. “kidnapping does not carry a 5-year presumptive term. Rather, it carries a 5-year mandatory minimum term.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Heavyrunner v. State