State v. Martin’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

9 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 9 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “It is well settled that the prosecution may not attempt to establish the bad character of the defendant until the defendant has put that character in issue by offering evidence of good character. By voluntarily testifying in his own behalf, the accused opens up only the issue of his credibility, not his general character. A general denial by the defendant that he did a particular kind of act is insufficient to put his character into issue. Furthermore, unless the defense offers evidence of good character, the state may not attack the defendant’s character in respect to the trait involved in the crime alleged at bar.”

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

2. “The inquiry was first immaterial since defendant was not being prosecuted for a drug offense. Moreover, the question had little probative value because it was not only remote but presumably related to the conduct of defendant’s associates rather than that of defendant himself. But we are most compelled to reverse because it appears to us that this line of questioning was a calculated attempt by the prosecution to impeach the character of the accused.”

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