542 So. 2d 332 - Bethune 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. “'[T]he record should disclose with reasonable certainty what was said in the court below, in order that the appellate court may review it.' Flowers v. State , 269 Ala. 395 , 397 , 113 So.2d 344 (1959); McClary v. State , 291 Ala. 481 , 482-83 , 282 So.2d 384 (1973). 'It is well established that objectionable remarks should be fully quoted, or substantially so, in an objection to improper argument.' Jones v. State , 460 So.2d 1382 , 1383 (Ala. 1984). The appellate court must be able to ascertain with reasonable certainty what was said before improper argument may be the predicate for a reversal. Jones , supra.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Woods v. State · 656 So. 2d 416 - Marty v. State

2. “[I]f the argument was beyond the bounds of legal propriety the record does not sufficiently disclose what was said in its context for us to say the argument was improper.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 722 So. 2d 806 - Freeman v. State.