Dixon v. Commonwealth’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

4 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 4 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The first objection is predicated upon the constitutional requistion, ‘that all prosecutions shall be carried on in the name and by the authority of the commonwealth of Kentucky.’ The indictment is in the usual form in the name of the commonwealth, and concludes against its peace and dignity, but does not express to be found by the authority of the commonwealth. Such an expression is however wholly unnecessary. At common law, prior to the-revolution, prosecutions were carried on in the name and by the authority of’ the king, in his political capacity; but the forms of indictment shew that it was unnecessary to be expressed to be found by his authority. When we threw off the regal government and adopted the republican form, it became necessary to provide that prosecutions, should be carried on in the name and by the authority of the commonwealth;. but as under the regal, so under our present form of government, it is. equally unnecessary that an indictment should expressly aver by what authority it 'is found and carried on. This, indictment was, as all other indictments be, carried on by the authority of the commonwealth of Kentucky, and not by the authority of any other power; and that is alone what the constitution requires.””

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