Void v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

47 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 47 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““We believe that a fair conclusion can be drawn from the proceedings at the hearing on the motion that the testimony Void sought was directed to the character of Steedley. We are not in accord with the State’s notion that Void was merely attempting to introduce evidence of prior bad acts by Steedley under the guise of character evidence. It may be that defense counsel’s argument could have been articulated in more specific terms. And perhaps some of the reasons he gave for desiring the witnesses’ testimony, and which the judge declared he would not permit, may not have been admissible. But that did not justify precluding Void’s examination of the witnesses. The proper time for the judge to determine the admissibility of their testimony was upon their examination.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 231 Md. App. 1 - Taneja v. State · Kelly v. State

2. ““The short of it is that the trial judge should have heard from the subpoenaed witnesses, either at a pretrial hearing or at the trial out of the presence of the jury. He could, at that time, determine whether the witnesses had admissible testimony to offer. He erred in short-circuiting the common law and statutory rights of Void by quashing the subpoenas. Void is entitled to a new trial.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 231 Md. App. 1 - Taneja v. State · Kelly v. State

3. “Here, however, the trial judge did not have a sufficient basis for the exercise of sound discretion. He refused to hear from the subpoenaed witnesses. Their affidavits were of no help; the averment that the witnesses had no knowledge of the facts and circumstances of the investigation, arrest or prosecution of Void was of no consequence. Their lack of such knowledge was neither relevant nor material to a determination of the credibility of Steedley. The bare statement that any personal knowledge of the subpoenaed witnesses that might be used to discredit any witness came to the subpoenaed witnesses in a confidential investigation, did not suffice to justify a refusal to permit Void to examine his witnesses. The judge could winnow out on hearing their testimony what was inadmissible as legitimately protected. We do not perceive how he could properly determine, on what was before him, that none of their testimony relating to the credibility of Steedley was admissible without affording Void an opportunity to examine them under oath.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 231 Md. App. 1 - Taneja v. State