State v. Thomas’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “a reasonable person in the defendant's circumstances would have perceived the use of deadly force in self-defense as necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Phillips · State v. Dukes

2. “requires a showing that the defendant sincerely believed it was necessary to kill to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to the defendant or a third person.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Phillips · State v. Dukes

3. “defendant's use of force was not justified under either or both of two scenarios: (1) the defendant did not honestly believe the use of force was necessary under the circumstances, or (2) a reasonable person would not believe the use of force was necessary under the circumstances.”

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