Paulson v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

130 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 133 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “A “reasonable doubt” is a doubt based on reason and common sense after a careful and impartial consideration of all the evidence in the case. It is the kind of doubt that would make a reasonable person hesitate to act in the most important of his own affairs. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt, therefore, must be proof of such a convincing character that you would be willing to rely and act upon it without hesitation in the most important of your own affairs.”

   19 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Pena v. State · Vosberg v. State

2. “if we conclude that one of our previous decisions was poorly reasoned or is unworkable, we do not achieve [the] goals [of stare decisis ] by continuing to follow it”); Hammock v. State, 46 S.W.3d 889, 893 (Tex.Crim.App.2001) (one factor favoring overruling precedent is”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Ex parte Johnson · Roberts v. State

3. “promot[ing] judicial efficiency and consistency, encourag[ing] reliance on judicial decisions, and contribut[ing] to the integrity of the judicial process.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Ex parte Johnson · State v. Medrano