Guzman v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

19 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 19 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “1. DOES GRAHAM V. FLORIDA, 560 U.S. 48 , 130 S.Ct. 2011 , 176 L.Ed.2d 825 (2010), APPLY TO LENGTHY TERM-OF-YEARS SENTENCES THAT AMOUNT TO DE FACTO LIFE SENTENCES? 2. IF SO, AT WHAT POINT DOES A TERM-OF-YEARS SENTENCE BECOME A DE FACTO LIFE SENTENCE?”

   10 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Giancarlo Cameron v. State · Chauncey Davis v. State

2. “While we understand the temptation to acknowledge that certain term-of-years sentences might constitute “de facto” life sentences, we are compelled to apply Graham as it is expressly worded, which applies only to actual life sentences without parole. Without further guidance from our supreme court or the United States Supreme Court, it is logistically impossible to determine what might or might not constitute a de facto life sentence — assuming such a concept is to be considered in the first instance.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 122 So. 3d 412 - Rosario v. State

3. “A State is not required to guarantee eventual freedom to a juvenile offender convicted of a nonhomicide crime. What the State must do, however, is give defendants ... some meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation.... It bears emphasis, however, that while the Eighth Amendment forbids a State from imposing a life without parole sentence on a juvenile nonhomicide offender, it does not require the State to release that offender during his natural life.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 122 So. 3d 412 - Rosario v. State