People v. Kelly’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

18 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Appellant argues, however, that the language of section 788 is permissive; that the trial court was not required to admit his prior felony convictions in evidence; and that it abused its discretion in permitting these facts to be shown. He cites two cases decided by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Gordon v. United States, 383 F.2d 936 and Luck v. United States, 348 F.2d 763 [ 121 App.D.C. 151 ]. The cited cases do lend support to appellant's argument. Indeed, Gordon suggests specific guidelines for federal district courts of the District of Columbia to follow in exercising discretion on whether to allow evidence of prior felony convictions for purposes of impeachment. (P. 940.) But these cases do not express our rule.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. People v. Romero

2. “for the trial court to admit his prior felony convictions to impeach his testimony when he became a witness in his own behalf; and, while the court in the form of appellant's assignment of error concluded that”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. People v. Romero

3. “It [is] the right of the prosecution to attack appellant's credibility as a witness, and for that purpose to show his prior felony convictions.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. People v. Romero