State v. Coloff’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

25 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 25 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “A witness may be impeached by the party against whom he was called by contradictory evidence, * * *.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Toner · Sidney v. State

2. ““When the credibility of a witness is attacked under these statutes it has long been the uniform trial practice in Montana to ask the witness, on cross-examination, in substance, ‘Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If the answer is Wes,’ further examination along this line is foreclosed. If the ■answer is a denial, the conviction can then be shown by the record of the judgment. This is sound practice and should be .followed. The purpose of the statutes, weakening the credibility of the witness, is satisfied and chance for error is eliminated. It is the natural, practical and best way of handling the matter.” (Emphasis supplied).”

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

3. ““A defendant in a criminal case, if he is sworn and testifies, is subject to the same rules of cross-examination and impeachment as any other witness. [Citing authority.] “If the defendant does not take the stand, a prior conviction may not be shown to impeach him. [Citing authority.]””

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