Gordon v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

11 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 11 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““. . .A defendant in a criminal case comes into court and they are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty. . . . The presumption of innocence is something to be taken factually in favor of the defendant until the state introduces evidence that convinces each one of you of the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty. . . . The State has—the state has the burden of proving that the defendant is guilty as charged, and the state must satisfy each one of you, before you can return a conviction against the defendant, that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty.If, after considering all the evidence in this case, your minds are left in such a condition that you cannot say that you have an abiding conviction of the truth of the charge that defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty, then it would be your duty to return a verdict finding the defendant not guilty and acquitting him. . . . ””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Jacks v. State · Lowery v. State

2. ““The Court charges the Jury, that the legal presumption of innocence'-'is to be regarded by the Jury in this case as a matter of evidence, to the benefit of which the defendant is entitled,’ and, as a matter of evidence it attends the defendant until his guilt is, by the- evidence, placed beyond a reasonable doubt.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 50 Ala. App. 409 - Denson v. State