State v. Schaeffer’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

12 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 12 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “the defendant is effectively disabled from answering the one question every rational juror needs answered: If the defendant is innocent, why did he previously admit his guilt?”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Hall · Bixler v. State

2. “Cases of both the United States Supreme Court and this court hold that after the trial court denies a motion to suppress a confession as an involuntary confession, the defense may present evidence to the jury on the circumstances surrounding the making of the confession!.] [[Image here]] Notwithstanding the general inadmissibility of polygraph evidence, the trial court had no real choice but to grant defense counsel’s request.... “The choice rests with the defense attorney as to whether or not to inject the polygraph issue into the case for the purpose of attempting to show that it or the technique was a coercive factor.” 30”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Rogers v. Commonwealth

3. “[I]f the trial court admits the confession, the trial court “must permit the jury to hear evidence on the circumstances surrounding the making of the confession * * * for a determination of weight and credibility * *”

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