State v. Allen’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

21 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 27 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The clear purpose of the law is to make effective the humane principle that no person while insane can be tried and punished for a criminal offense. But it was never intended that the trial on the issue of guilt or innocence shall be delayed simply ■ because the defendant seeks to avoid trial on the ground that he is presently insane. “Under the express terms of the statute, the trial judge is not required to order an inquiry into the mental condition of the defendant unless .he had reasonable ground to believe that defendant is insane. But' defendant’s assertion that he is insane, or even the affidavits of witnesses that they do not consider defendant is mentally sound, are not of themselves sufficient to create such belief in the mind of the trial judge. The question is one that addresses itself to the sound discretion of the court. Reasonable ground to believe that the defendant is insane can only arise in the mind of the trial judge when information to that effect is furnished from a trustworthy source or by credible parties, or when from the inspection' or observation of the court itself, defendant appears to be mentally unbalanced.””

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

2. “The court may appoint two disinterested qualified experts in mental diseases to examine the defendant with regard to his present mental condition * * *”

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