239 So. 2d 867 - State v. Profera’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

23 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 23 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"... [P]robable cause is not to be evaluated from a remote vantage point of a library, but rather from the viewpoint of a prudent and cautious police officer on the scene at the time of arrest. The question to be answered is whether such an officer in the particular circumstances, conditioned by his observations and information, and guided by the whole of his police experience, reasonably could have believed that a crime had been committed by the person to be arrested." * * * * * * "The test of probable cause is not what reaction victims — or judges — might have but what the totality of the circumstances means to police officers. Conduct innocent in the eyes of the untrained may carry entirely different `messages' to the experienced or trained observer." (Emphasis supplied.)”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 392 So. 2d 587 - State v. Melendez · 244 So. 2d 173 - Trivette v. State

2. “[pjrobable cause is defined as “a reasonable ground of suspicion, supported by circumstances sufficiently strong in themselves to warrant a cautious person in believing the accused to be guilty.” The arresting officer need not actually see the law being violated, nor must he satisfy himself beyond any question that a crime has been committed. The person making the arrest may act either upon facts within his own knowledge or on those communicated to him by a responsible person. Probable cause to arrest exists where a reasonable person, having the specialized training of a police officer in reviewing facts known to the arresting officer prior to the actual time of arrest, would come to the conclusion that a crime is being or has been committed by the person to be arrested.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 382 So. 2d 327 - Mayo v. State · 424 So. 2d 975 - Simon v. State

3. “probable cause is not to be evaluated from a remote vantage point of a library, but rather from the viewpoint of a prudent and cautious police officer on the scene at the time of arrest.... The test of probable cause is not what reaction victims — or judges — might have but what the totality of the circumstances means to police officers. Conduct innocent in the eyes of the untrained may carry entirely different ‘messages’ to the experienced or trained observer.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 424 So. 2d 975 - Simon v. State