People v. Urso’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

54 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 54 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““* * * It is our opinion, and we so state, that if it is within the power of a trial court to set aside a verdict, not supported by competent legal evidence, then it is equally within the province and power of the court to prevent such a verdict ever coming into existence. In either position, before or after the verdict, the trial court is compelled to survey and analyze the evidence, and from the same evidence, his analysis would undoubtedly be the same before or after a verdict. If it is to the end that the evidence is insufficient or incompetent, and no part of it is convincing beyond a reasonable doubt, then he should be courageous enough to prevent a miscarriage of justice by a jury. * * *””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. People v. La Voie

2. ““* * * [I]t is within the power of a trial court to set aside a verdict, not supported by competent legal evidence, * * * [T]he trial court is compelled to survey and analyze the evidence, * * * If it is to the end that the evidence is insufficient or incompetent, and no part of it is convincing beyond a reasonable doubt, then [the trial judge] should be courageous enough to prevent a miscarriage of justice by a jury. * * * [The trial judge] certainly had the right to say, and it was his duty to say, that it was unbelievable and, in law, was not competent to support a verdict of guilt, then we must uphold the end of such courageous action by affirming his judgment; * * * ””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. People v. Ware