Commonwealth v. Mathews’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

4 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 4 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The court shall impose a sentence of total confinement if, having regard to the nature and circumstances of the crime and the history, character, and condition of the defendant, it is of the opinion that the total confinement of the defendant is necessary because: (1) there is undue risk that during a period of probation or partial confinement the defendant will commit another crime; (2) the defendant is in need of correctional treatment that can be provided most effectively by his commitment to an institution; or (3) a lesser sentence will depreciate the seriousness of the crime of the defendant.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2012 Pa. Super. 190 - Commonwealth v. Schutzues

2. “We do not agree that [§ 9771(c) ] permits a sentence of total confinement simply because one has been convicted of a crime. Rather, the plain interpretation of it is that it limits the trial court’s ability to impose a sentence of total confinement for probation violations. The court shall not impose a sentence of total confinement unless one of three circumstances is present. These circumstances [ ... ] are prerequisites to such a sentence. Once these prerequisites have been established, the court should consider the Sentencing Code’s criteria for total confinement!)]”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2012 Pa. Super. 190 - Commonwealth v. Schutzues