Johnson v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

22 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 22 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““This demands that, in a case depending upon circumstantial evidence, the circumstances relied upon must be so connected and cogent as to show guilt to a moral certainty and must exclude every other reasonable hypothesis than that of the guilt of the accused. ’ ’”

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

2. ““It may be that these defendants are guilty of this crime, but, after a careful examination of all the evidence adduced upon the trial and after drawing from it every inference that is rightfully deducible therefrom, we do not think that it was sufficient to warrant the defendants ’ conviction of this crime. France v. State, 68 Ark. 529 , 60 S. W. 236 . It may be that on future trial additional evidence may be introduced showing their guilt. The evidence that was introduced upon the trial below we think too slight to justify a conviction. ’ ’”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Grigson & Gibson v. State

3. ““We conclude that the testimony adduced was not sufficient to establish the guilt of appellant with the certainty that the law requires in cases of this kind. We cannot say that the circumstances shown could not be reasonably explained except upon the hypothesis of appellant’s guilt. . . . The judgment of the lower court is, therefore, reversed and the cause remanded for a new trial.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Grigson & Gibson v. State