Commonwealth v. Turner’s Empirical Analysis
1976
Citation profile
126 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 128 later decisions — most recently August 2018 · most notably Commonwealth v. Turner (1988), Commonwealth v. Pettus (1981)
126 state decisions
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Relies on Commonwealth Ex Rel. Washington v. Maroney · Commonwealth v. Clair · Gateway Coal Co. v. United Mine Workers · Commonwealth v. Dancer · Commonwealth v. Twiggs
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 128 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“Where the record on appeal clearly shows that there could have been no reasonable basis for a damaging decision or omission by trial counsel, then of course the judgment must be vacated and appropriate relief, such as allowing the filing of post trial motions or the ordering of a new trial, granted. Where, on the other hand, it is impossible to tell from the record whether or not the action of trial counsel could have had a rational basis, the appellate court will vacate the judgment, at least for the time being, and remand for an evidentiary hearing at which trial counsel may state his reasons for having chosen the course of action taken.”
10 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority“Our task ... encompasses both an independent review of the record,____and an examination of counsel’s stewardship of the now challenged proceedings in light of the available alternatives____ We cannot emphasize strongly enough, however, that our inquiry ceases and counsel’s assistance is deemed constitutionally effective once we are able to conclude that the particular course chosen by counsel had some reasonable basis designed to effectuate his client's interests, (emphasis in original). The test is not whether other alternatives were more reasonable, employing a hindsight evaluation of the record, (emphasis in original) Although weigh the alternatives we must, the balance tips in favor of a finding of effective assistance as soon as it is determined that trial counsel’s decisions had any reasonable basis, (emphasis added). 427 Pa. at 604-605 , 235 A.2d at 352-53 .”
3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority“[w]here the record on appeal clearly shows that there could have been no reasonable basis for a damaging decision or omission by trial counsel”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.