229 Pa. Super. 322 - Commonwealth v. Staley’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 21 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"`An accused cannot be punished by a more severe sentence because he unsuccessfully exercised his constitutional right to stand trial rather than plead guilty. See Thomas v. United States, 368 F.2d 941 (5th Cir. 1966); United States v. Martell, 335 F.2d 764 (4th Cir. 1964); United States v. Wiley, 278 F.2d 500 (7th Cir. 1960).'" Commonwealth v. Staley, supra, 229 Pa.Super. at 324 , 324 A.2d at 395 .”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Bethea · State v. Kamana'o

2. “THE COURT: [addressing counsel for the defendant] . . . I am aware that Judge Williams gave him only eighteen months minimum to five years. On the other hand, that was a guilty plea. This was a trial. I am disposed to give him a larger minimum in this case because it was a trial. Do you understand?”

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

3. “a plea of guilty may be a proper factor for a judge to consider in deciding whether to give a more lenient sentence . . . [a] plea of not guilty or a demand for a jury trial are not factors that a judge should consider in deciding whether to give a more severe sentence.”

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