State v. Oates’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

39 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 39 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[a]n appellate court will find reversible error only where an abuse of discretion is found and the defendant can demonstrate prejudice.”

   5 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Abraham J. Eoff and Crystal M. Eoff, Individually and as ad Litem for Sophee R. Eoff v. Jennifer K. McDonald, D.O., and Seasons Healthcare for Women, P.C. · State v. Beckett

2. “[t]he critical fact in Clark involved the brutal murder of a very young child. There exists a prevalent perception among society that the killing of an innocent child is never justified, regardless of any extenuating circumstances. It is by virtue of this common perception that the circumstances of the murder in Clark constitute a critical fact that necessitates allowing the defense to probe the venire panel during voir dire. In contrast, being shot in the back of the head, while certainly a difficult fact for the defense to refute, does not rise to the level of a critical fact.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Beckett · State v. Lutes

3. “While the circumstances surrounding this case pose substantial obstacles to the defense, the obstacles do not stem from any preconceived bias among the venire.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Beckett · State v. Lutes