Sutton v. Commonwealth’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 district · 63 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 66 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “a prohibition against sexual intercourse with a woman against her will by threat or intimidation [in Code § 18.2-61], was to expand the parameters of rape”). The Virginia Supreme Court’s definition of the requisite force to accomplish sexual assault remained and remains unchanged. 2 . For example, in Mingo, the trial court instructed the jury that the force required to support the defendant's conviction for rape”

   8 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Bower · Mohajer v. Commonwealth

2. “"`[T]he presence need not be a strict, actual, immediate presence, such a presence as would make [the defendant] an eye or ear witness of what passes, but may be a constructive presence. So that if several persons set out together ... upon one common design, be it murder or other felony, or for any other purpose unlawful in itself, and each takes the part assigned him; ... they are all, provided the fact be committed, in the eyes of the law, present at it....'"”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Washington v. Commonwealth · Washington v. Com.

3. “Unlawful coercion; extortion; duress; putting in fear. To take, or attempt to take, by intimidation means willfully to take, or attempt to take, by putting in fear of bodily harm.... Intimidation ... means putting a victim in fear of bodily harm by exercising such domination and control of her as to overcome her mind and overbear her will.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Com. v. Anderson