Commonwealth v. Richardson’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

14 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 14 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “a defendant may be sentenced under only one sentencing enhancement statute”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. COMMONWEALTH v. WAYNE FOREMAN. · 93 Mass. App. Ct. 1107 - Commonwealth v. Abernathy

2. “Under the rule of lenity, 'if we find that the statute is ambiguous or are unable to ascertain the intent of the Legislature, the defendant is entitled to the benefit of any rational doubt.' Commonwealth v. Constantino, 443 Mass. 521, 524 (2005). 'This principle applies to sentencing as well as substantive provisions.' Commonwealth v. Gagnon, 387 Mass. 567, 569 (1982).”

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

3. “we will not presume, absent a clear statement, that the Legislature intended to impose multiple sentencing enhancements to a single underlying offense”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. COMMONWEALTH v. MAURICE JOHNSON.