2002 Pa. Super. 249 - Commonwealth v. Cunningham’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

34 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 34 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Sentencing is a matter vested in the sound discretion of the sentencing judge, and a sentence will not be disturbed on appeal absent a manifest abuse of discretion. An abuse of discretion is more than just an error in judgment and, on appeal, the trial court will not be found to have abused its discretion unless the record discloses that the judgment exercised was manifestly unreasonable, or the result of partiality, prejudice, bias, or ill-will.”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Radecki · 2005 Pa. Super. 389 - Commonwealth v. Keiper

2. “[T]he sentence imposed should call for confinement that is consistent with the protection of the public, the gravity of the offense as it relates to the impact on the life of the victim and on the community, and the rehabilitative needs of the defendant.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2012 Pa. Super. 75 - Commonwealth v. Bricker · 2012 Pa. Super. 240 - Commonwealth v. Bowen

3. “[a]n appellant who challenges the discretionary aspects of a sentence in a criminal matter shall set forth in his brief a concise statement of the reasons relied upon for allowance of appeal with respect to the discretionary aspects of a sentence.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Radecki