Watson v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

18 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “the ruling of the trial judge made the day before, without any indication that the matter was still under consideration, had progressed toward finality beyond the point that would permit its retraction or correction”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. People v. Vincent · 805 So. 2d 1040 - Boone v. State

2. “A judgment of acquittal rendered by a trial judge represents a resolution in the defendant’s favor, correct or incorrect, of some or all of the factual elements of the offense charged. United States v. Scott, 437 U.S. 82, 97 , 98 S.Ct. 2187, 2197 , 57 L.Ed.2d 65 (1978). Once a defendant obtains an acquittal after jeopardy attaches, even if based on an erroneous interpretation of governing legal principles as occurred in this case, the double jeopardy clause bars retrial. We believe that in this sense, retrial must be construed to mean further proceedings which would be devoted to the resolution of factual issues concerning the elements of the offense charged. Scott and cases cited therein.”

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

3. “at least until the hearing has come to an end, the trial judge may reverse himself on a ruling on a motion for judgment of acquittal.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Freer v. Dugger