32 Ala. App. 371 - Austin v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

6 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 6 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““ ‘A witness to character cannot speak of particular acts, or even the course of conduct of the person inquired about, but is confined to a statement of general reputation in the neighborhood in which he lives.’ And so, too, it was held in that case that the cross-examination of a character witness must be conducted within the limits of this inquiry. The question asked was as to the particular acts and conduct, and could have had reference to no one else than the defendant. It was without the rule above laid down. Nor was the question proper, or the evidence sought competent, on the suggestion made by counsel for the state, to ascertain witness’s standard of what it took to constitute good character. The answer to the suggestion is: The issue does not involve witness’ standard of good character. The issue is good or bad repute in the community in which the person lives, whose character is inquired about. In overruling the defendant’s objection to the question, the trial court committed reversible error. Moulton v. State, 88 Ala. 116 , 6 So. 758 , 6 L.R.A. 301 ; Thompson v. State, 100 Ala. 70 , 14 So. 878 .””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 50 Ala. App. 536 - Houston v. State

2. ““Q. I asked him if he’d heard he had done these things, if in his opinion he was a man of good character in the community in which he lives ? “Q. Would you say a man who had done these things you’ve heard he had done, was a man of good reputation and a man of good character in the community in which he lives, Mr. Cooper?””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 50 Ala. App. 536 - Houston v. State

3. ““If a man was guilty of getting drunk and going to disreputable places and fighting, would that person have a good character ?””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 50 Ala. App. 536 - Houston v. State