State v. Staples’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

24 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 24 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(1) [make] sufficient inquiry into the circumstances of a defendant's disappearance to justify a finding whether the absence was voluntary, (2) [make] a preliminary finding of voluntariness (when justified), and (3) [afford] the defendant an adequate opportunity to explain his absence when he is returned to custody and before sentence is imposed.”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 123 Wash. 2d 877 - State v. Thomson · State v. Washington

2. “The defendant shall be present at the arraignment, at every stage of the trial including the empaneling of the jury, and the return of the verdict, and at the imposition of the sentence, except as otherwise provided by these rules. In prosecutions for any offense except murder, the defendant’s voluntary absence after the trial has been commenced in the defendant’s presence shall not prevent continuing the trial to and including the verdict and disposition of sentence. A corporation may appear by counsel for all purposes. In prosecutions for offenses punishable by fine or by imprisonment for less than one year, or both, the court may permit arraignment, plea, trial and imposition of sentence of represented defendant in the defendant’s absence. (Emphasis added).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Barrett

3. “jury should be informed only that the defendant has made a choice not to be present at the trial”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 150 N.J. Super. 198 - State v. Andrial