Staples v. Commonwealth’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

7 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 7 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[h]armless error analysis applied to a constitutional error, ... involves considering the improper evidence in the context of the entire trial and asking whether there is a reasonable possibility that the evidence complained of might have contributed to the conviction.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the concurrence
   e.g. Bowling v. Commonwealth · Truss v. Commonwealth

2. “(1) He has engaged in conduct which includes a voluntary act or the omission to perform a duty which the law imposes upon him and which he is physically capable of performing-, and (2) He has engaged in such conduct intentionally, knowingly, wantonly or recklessly as the law may require, with respect to each element of the offense.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Mitchell

3. “[G]enerally at least, the failure to object to a misallocation of juror strikes will be deemed a waiver of the right.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the concurrence
   e.g. Cummings v. Commonwealth