2016 Pa. Super. 59 - Commonwealth v. Dantzler’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. “[T]he trial court is afforded no discretion in ascertaining whether, as a matter of law and in light of the facts presented to it, the Commonwealth has carried its pre-trial prima facie burden to make out the elements of a charged crime.”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Starry · Commonwealth v. Holston

2. “[a] pre-trial habeas corpus motion is the proper means for testing whether the Commonwealth has sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case. To demonstrate that a prima facie case exists, the Commonwealth must produce evidence of every material element of the charged offense(s) as well as the defendant's complicity therein. To meet its burden, the Commonwealth may utilize the evidence presented at the preliminary hearing and also may submit additional proof.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Starry · Commonwealth v. Carper

3. “[w]e review a decision to grant a pre-trial petition for a writ of habeas corpus by examining the evidence and reasonable inferences derived therefrom in a light most favorable to the Commonwealth.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Holston · Commonwealth v. Wyatt