Alston v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(a) A person may not manufacture, distribute, dispense, or possess: * * * (5) 28 grams or more of morphine or opium or any derivative salt, isomer, or salt of an isomer of morphine or opium; (6) 28 grams or more of any mixture containing a detectable amount, as scientifically measured using representative sampling methodology, of morphine or opium or any derivative salt, isomer, or salt of an isomer of morphine or opium; * * * (c) (1) A person who is convicted of a violation of subsection (a) of this section shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 5 years and is subject to a fine not exceeding $ 100,000. (2) The court may not suspend any part of the mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years. (3) Except as provided in § 4-305 of the Correctional Services Article, [ 3 ] the person is not eligible for parole during the mandatory minimum sentence.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 240 Md. App. 200 - Johnson v. State

2. “It is a settled principle in Maryland criminal law that fundamental fairness dictates that the defendant understand clearly what debt he must pay to society for his transgressions.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 240 Md. App. 200 - Johnson v. State

3. “consider[ ], in addition to the literal or usual meaning of the words used, their meaning and effect in light of the setting, the objectives and purpose of the subject enactment.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 240 Md. App. 200 - Johnson v. State