Mason v. Commonwealth’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. “erroneous jury instructions are presumed to be prejudicial,”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Caudill · Jewish Hosp. & St. Mary's Healthcare, Inc. v. House

2. ““On motion for directed verdict, the trial court must draw all fair and reasonable inferences from the evidence in favor of the Commonwealth. If the evidence is sufficient to induce a reasonable juror to believe beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty, a directed verdict should not be given. For the purpose of ruling on the motion, the trial court must assume that the evidence for the Commonwealth is true, but reserving to the jury questions as to the credibility and weight to be given to such testimony. On appellate review, the test of a directed verdict is, if under the evidence as a whole, it would be clearly unreasonable for a jury to find guilt, only then the defendant is entitled to a directed verdict of acquittal.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Peacher v. Commonwealth

3. “upon a determination that manifest injustice has resulted from the error.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Caudill