State v. Sterling’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

4 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 4 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The distinguishing and essential elements of the offense defined by Section 3701(d) are that the property be stolen property, and that the accused knows it to have been stolen. Even though Sterling thought it was stolen, and even though he had the requisite intent, the gun was in fact not ‘stolen property’ at the time Sterling acquired it. “The reprehensible nature of Sterling’s act and intent is not enough to support his conviction of the offense charged since he has not done the act proscribed by the statute. The defendant cannot be convicted of theft under K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 21-3701(d) when actual physical possession of the gun was recovered by law enforcement officers and it lost its character as ‘stolen property’ before he acquired it.” 230 Kan. at 792 .”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Logan & Cromwell