Commonwealth v. Fulton’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

22 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 25 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(1) that the witness existed; (2) that the witness was available; (3) that counsel was informed of the existence of the witness or should have known of the witness’s existence; (4) that the witness was prepared to cooperate and would have testified on appellant’s behalf; and (5) that the absence of the testimony prejudiced appellant.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2003 Pa. Super. 471 - Commonwealth v. Halley · John Moore v. David DiGuglielmo

2. “It has long been the law in Pennsylvania that a defendant in a criminal case may introduce evidence of his reputation for truthfulness in but two circumstances. First, the accused may introduce evidence of his truthful character if the trait of truthfulness is relevant to the crime with which he has been charged. Second, the accused may introduce evidence of his truthful character if his reputation for truthfulness has first been attacked by the prosecution. FN5”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2010 Pa. Super. 66 - Commonwealth v. Minich

3. “(1) his underlying claim is of arguable merit; (2) the particular course of conduct pursued by counsel did not have some reasonable basis designed to effectuate his interests; and, (3) but for counsel's ineffectiveness, there is a reasonable probability that the outcome of the challenged proceeding would have been different.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Johnson