Watson v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

9 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 9 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “A judgment is clearly erroneous when, in light of the entire record, the court is left with the definite and firm impression that a mistake has been made.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Polk v. State · Butler v. State

2. “must identify 'specific acts or omissions of counsel that, in light of all the circumstances, fell outside the wide range of professional competent assistance,' " Id. (quoting Zink v. State , 278 S.W.3d 170 , 176 (Mo. banc 2009) ). Trial-strategy decisions may establish the basis for finding ineffective assistance of counsel only if that decision was unreasonable. McLaughlin v. State , 378 S.W.3d 328 , 337 (Mo. banc 2012). "[S]trategic choices made after a thorough investigation of the law and the facts relevant to plausible opinions are virtually unchallengeable[.]”

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

3. “Under Strickland , [a movant] must demonstrate: (1) his trial counsel failed to exercise the level of skill and diligence that a reasonably competent trial counsel would in a similar situation, and (2) he was prejudiced by that failure.”

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