337 So. 2d 502 - State v. Dabon’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"The informer privilege is based on the need of assuring a free disclosure of information to a governmental source through protecting against unnecessary disclosure, and upon the asserted governmental need of using such sources to obtain information as to covert types of criminal activities. It is generally recognized in Louisiana, although the secrecy of identity may be required to yield to competing interests of other constitutional or individual interests where circumstances show the overriding weight of the latter. * * * * * * As these decisions recognize, the privilege must give way where the disclosure of an informer's identity or of the contents of his communication is relevant and helpful to the defense of an accused or to the fair determination of an issue before the court. See also Smith v. Illinois, 390 U.S. 129 , 88 S.Ct. 748 , 19 L.Ed.2d 956 (1968) and Roviaro v. United States, 353 U.S. 53 , 77 S.Ct. 623 , 1 L.Ed.2d 639 (1957) ."”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. White · State v. Saddler