State v. Williams’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 15 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The defendant may not take the stand and by confining his answers to ‘one or two well-prepared interrogatories sweep away the whole structure of the state’s case, and then remain immune from a cross- examination on the issue thus tendered.’ . . . The ‘matter’ referred to in the examination in chief means the things he testifies about. If the defendant in his examination in chief refers to a subject in a general way, he may be examined in detail as to that subject. When he states a fact in relation to his actions, the state may inquire as to particular circumstances which would throw light on that fact. ... He may be cross-examined with reference to any subject matter concerning which he gave testimony.” (Citations omitted.)”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Leonard · State v. Mitchell

2. “The defendant may not take the stand and by confining his answers to 'one or two well-prepared interrogatories sweep away the whole structure of the state’s case, and then remain immune from cross-examination on the issue thus tendered.”’ Williams, 519 S.W.2d at 578 .”

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

3. “[that a defendant in a criminal case who testifies in his own behalf] “shall be liable to cross-examination, as to any matter referred to in his examination in chief, and may be contradicted and impeached as any other witness in the case”.”

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