520 So. 2d 179 - Williams v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “In Alabama there is no presumption that a witness is telling the truth. An instruction asserting such is a derogation of the jury's exclusive right to determine the credibility of witnesses. Harris v. State , 22 Ala. App. 121 , 113 So. 318 (1927); Foster v. State , 37 Ala. App. 213 , 66 So.2d 204 (1953).”

   5 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sosa v. State · Nelson v. State

2. “"As jurors you are the triers and finders of facts in these cases[,] from the evidence[,] in determining and deciding the *Page 1366 guilt or innocence of each of these Defendants. . . . "As jurors you are the sole and exclusive judges of the evidence and the weight and sufficiency of the evidence[,] and not only that, you are the sole judges of the credibility of the witnesses. You are to determine what weight you will give to the testimony of witnesses and in making that determination[,] among other things[,] you may consider any interest, any bias, any prejudice, any relationship or any other thing that you may find a witness has if in your judgment it may tend to keep that witness from testifying to the truth. . . . "The testimony of an expert witness[,] even though they have had ample opportunity to experiment and examine the subject matter on which they testify[,] is not binding upon the jury. Such testimony has been submitted for you to weigh and consider with all the other testimony and evidence in this case. . . . "Now, it is a matter of law that if a witness has heretofore been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude it goes to his credibility as a witness; in other words, the jury may take that into account in determining how much weight and how much credibility they will give to that particular witnesses's testimony . . ."”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 638 So. 2d 1360 - Rogers v. State · 638 So. 2d 1360 - Ex Parte Musgrove

3. “No judgment may be reversed or set aside, nor new trial granted in any civil or criminal case on the ground of misdirection of the jury, . . . unless in the opinion of the court to which the appeal is taken or application is made, after an examination of the entire cause, it should appear that the error complained of has probably injuriously affected substantial rights of the parties.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 562 So. 2d 254 - Ex Parte Holifield · 562 So. 2d 625 - Touart v. State