State v. Ramsey’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. “In general, magistrates have criminal jurisdiction “of all offenses which may be subject to the penalties of either fine or forfeiture not exceeding five hundred dollars or imprisonment in the jail or workhouse not exceeding thirty days.” S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-550 (2007). For crimes outside magistrates’ jurisdiction, magistrates are authorized to conduct a preliminary examination. See Rule 2, SCRCrimP (“Any defendant charged with a crime not triable by a magistrate shall be brought before a magistrate and shall be given notice of his right to a preliminary hearing.”). The purpose of a preliminary examination is to determine whether probable cause exists to believe that the defendant committed the crime and to warrant the defendant’s subsequent trial. 12 S.C. Jurisprudence Magistrates and Municipal Judges § 31. Nevertheless, for those matters within magistrates’ jurisdiction, preliminary determinations of probable cause are not authorised by statute. Indeed, South Carolina law requires that all magistrate proceedings “shall be summary or with only such delay as a fair and just examination of the case requires.” S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-730 (2007).”

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