Commonwealth v. Howard’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

20 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 21 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[a]lthough the prosecution is not permitted to introduce evidence of a defendant's bad character to show his or her 'propensity to commit the crime charged, . . . such evidence may be admissible if relevant for some other purpose,' including motive.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Cruzado v. Alves · Commonwealth v. Cruzado

2. “to consider broadly the whole case on the law and the facts to determine whether the verdict is consonant with justice”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Wright · Commonwealth v. Fernandez

3. ““[W]e take the word ‘stop’ to mean what it says. A suspect’s or defendant’s use of the word ‘stop,’ or the phrase, ‘I would like to stop at that point,’ in this context should raise a red flag for an interrogating police officer — a signal that it is necessary at the very least for the officer immediately to pause in order to reflect on what the defendant has just said, and to consider whether the defendant is seeking to invoke his right to remain silent” (emphasis in original).”

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