Townsend v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

6 federal appellate · 75 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 82 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[ i ] f the trial judge learns from personal observations, or facts known to him, or from evidence presented, or by motion of the accused or his counsel, or by affidavit, or from any reasonable claim or credible source that there is a bona fide doubt as to the accused’s condition to comprehend his situation or make his defense, a duty devolves upon the trial judge to cause a sanity hearing on that issue”

   8 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Garcia v. State · Zink v. Estelle

2. “"The new act [Article 932b] makes such a finding [insanity at the time of the act] at the preliminary trial more than a defense. It is an acquittal, the same as if made by the jury at the main trial. So it is now possible for one charged with a criminal offense to be acquitted, though he has never been tried for such offense, and in fact to be acquitted by a jury that has not heard the indictment read, the facts relating to the act charged, or any evidence other than that relating to the question of the sanity or insanity of the accused.””

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

3. ““No person who becomes insane after he committed an offense shall be tried for the same while in such condition. ⅝ ⅝ ⅜ »”

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