Titus v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 federal appellate · 23 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 25 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Several treatises are instructive in defining and explaining the terms necessary to constitute the element of actual obstruction or hindrance of an officer. Lewis Hochheimer, in his treatise, stated that the act of obstructing, in the context of the offense of obstructing and hindering, ‘includes any impediment, direct or indirect, active or passive, to the execution of process or exercise of authority.’ Lewis Hochheimer, The Law of Crimes and Criminal Procedure 436 (2d ed. 1904). In distinguishing the offense of resisting arrest from that of obstructing and hindering, it has been noted that ‘[t]o constitute obstruction of an officer in the performance of his duties it is not necessary that there be an actual or technical assault upon the officer, but there must be acts clearly indicating an intention on the part of [the] accused to prevent the officer from performing his duty....’ 2 Hascal R. Brill, Cyclopedia of Criminal Law 1783 (1923). This Court in Busch v. State, 289 Md. 669, 677 , 426 A.2d, 954, 958 (1981) (quotation omitted), recognized that ‘resisting an officer in the performance of his duties was an offense that could occur even before there was an arrest.’ Thus, it follows that ‘the offense of resisting arrest requires proof of an act different from or additional to the acts necessary to prove the offense of resisting, hindering, or obstructing an officer in the performance of his duties[.]’ Busch, 289 Md. at 678 , 426 A.2d at 959 ; see Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 205 Md. App. 227 - Rich v. State

2. ““Black’s Law Dictionary defines ‘obstruction of justice’ generally as ‘[interference with the orderly administration of law and justice[.]’ Black’s Law Dictionary 1107 (8th ed. 2004); see also Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modem Legal Usage 611 (2d ed. 1995) (defining ‘obstruction of justice’ as ‘interference with the orderly administration of law’). Black’s Law Dictionary defines the word ‘obstruction’ as ‘[t]he act of impeding or hindering something; interference.’ Black’s Law, supra, at 1107. As defined by Webster’s Dictionary, the meaning of the word ‘obstruct’ includes ‘[t]o impede, retard, or interfere with[.]’ Webster’s II New College Dictionary 773 (3d ed. 2005). The word ‘hinder’ is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as ‘t[o] impede or delay the progress of.’ Webster’s, supra, at 536.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 205 Md. App. 227 - Rich v. State