Wright v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

11 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 11 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree unless the actor voluntarily releases the victim alive and in a safe place, in which event it is a felony of the second degree.”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Williams v. State · Ex Parte Gutierrez

2. “You are instructed that you are to find “True” the allegations of the enhancement paragraph of the indictment but if you further find that the child was released in a safe place, then you are instructed that you must now assess the punishment of the defendant at confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for not less than five years nor more than ninety-nine years or life, in addition thereto, you may assess a fine not to exceed $10,000; if you find the child was not released in a safe place, then you are instructed that you must now assess the punishment of the defendant at confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for not less than fifteen years nor more than ninety-nine years or life.”

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

3. “by confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for life or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 5 years.”

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