State v. Williams’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

12 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 12 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The key point is that counsel is precluded from using argument to vouch personally as to a defendant’s guilt or a witness’s credibility. This is true whether the personal belief is purportedly based on knowledge of facts not possessed by the jury, counsel’s experience in similar cases, or any ground other than the weight of the evidence in the trial. A defendant is entitled to have the case decided solely on the evidence.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Graves · State v. Carey

2. “In appearing in his [or her] professional capacity before a tribunal, a lawyer shall not: * * * * * * (4) Assert his [or her] personal opinion as to the justness of a cause, ... or as to the guilt or innocence of any accused; but he [or she] may argue, on his [or her] analysis of the evidence, for any position or conclusion with respect to the matters stated herein. * * * * * *”

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

3. “[vjiewed in context, all of the prosecutor’s challenged remarks were obviously based on his view of the evidence. He did not in any statement insinuate that his opinion was based on non-record facts nor can it fairly be said that he personally vouched against the credibility of defendant’s testimony.”

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