State v. Reams’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

118 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 120 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"`Deliberation means that the act is done in cool state of blood. It does not mean brooding over it or reflecting upon it for a week, a day, or an hour, or any other appreciable length of time, but it means an intention to kill, executed by the defendant in a cool state of blood in furtherance of a fixed design to gratify a feeling of revenge or to accomplish some unlawful purpose, and not under the influence of a violent passion, suddenly aroused by some lawful or just cause or legal provocation.'" State v. Faust, 254 N.C. 101, 106-07 , 118 S.E.2d 769, 772 (1961); see State v. Biggs, supra ; State v. Britt, supra ; State v. Reams, supra . "`No fixed length of time is required for the mental processes of premeditation and deliberation constituting an element of the offense of murder in the first degree, and it is sufficient if these processes occur prior to, and not simultaneously with the killing.'" State v. Perry, 276 N.C. 339, 347 , 172 S.E.2d 541, 547 (1970).”

   5 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Buchanan · State v. Welch

2. “`[T]he term [search] implies some exploratory investigation or an invasion and quest, a looking for or seeking out. The question may be secret, intrusive, or accomplished by force.' 79 C.J.S. Searches and Seizures § 1, p. 775.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 37 N.C. App. 628 - State v. Thompson · 18 N.C. App. 269 - State v. Wooten

3. ““If the State proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally killed Ruby Jean McCrorey with a deadly weapon or intentionally inflicted a wound upon Ruby Jean McCrorey with a deadly weapon that proximately caused her death, the law raises two presumptions; first, that the killing was unlawful, and, second, that it was done with malice.” * * * “In order for you to find the defendant guilty of second degree murder, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally shot Ruby Jean McCrorey with a deadly weapon thereby proximately caus ing her death, then nothing else appearing, the defendant would be guilty of second degree murder.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Williams