Commonwealth v. Tapia’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

13 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 13 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[A]n informant's detailed tip, plus independent police corroboration of those details, can compensate for deficiencies in either or both prongs of the Aguilar - Spinelli standard and thus satisfy the art. 14 probable cause requirement.”

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

2. “The affidavit need not convince the magistrate beyond a reasonable doubt, but must provide a substantial basis for concluding that [drugs or instrumentalities of the drug trade] will be found on the specified premises.”

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

3. “This probable cause inquiry requires a nexus between the items to be seized and the place to be searched.”

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