State v. Teitle’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

43 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 45 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““A reasonable opportunity to show in cross-examination that a witness is unreliable, prejudiced or biased is a matter of right, and much latitude is to be allowed in this line, but the extent to which it shall be permitted to proceed rests largely in the discretion of the trial court, whose action will not be revised here unless an abuse, of discretion is shown, and the contrary not appearing, it will be taken that the ruling was made as a matter of discretion (citations omitted). Stated otherwise, the credibility of a witness is always open to attack, and a wide latitude is allowable to a cross-examiner for the purpose of showing who and what the witness is.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commercial Credit Plan, Inc. v. Beebe

2. “Cross-examination normally only goes to that which limits, explains, or refutes direct examination or modifies the inferences to be drawn therefrom. The exception is the issue of credibility. The credibility of a witness is always open to attack, and wide latitude should be allowed on cross-examination for the purpose of showing who and what the witness is, and that he is unreliable, prejudiced, or biased.”

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

3. “The pursuit of a witness into the realm of collateral must, of necessity, end somewhere — or litigation would not.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Woodmansee v. Stoneman