Reynolds v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

16 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 17 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““It has been suggested, and is doubtless true, that in this case ‘outraged justice has laid her avenging lash on the back of one who honestly deserves the scourge, ’ but we cannot for that reason alone affirm the judgment. The jurisdiction of the courts, is not co-ordinate with that of the mob. The defendant, by his own confession, is an inveterate bigamist, but notwithstanding that fact he is, under the constitution and laws of this state, entitled to a fair and impartial trial. Notwithstanding his odious character, he must, like every other person accused of crime, be tried and convicted by due course of law or else go free.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Arnold · State v. Sullivan

2. ““There are, it is true, cases which hold that an honest belief in the death of a former husband or wife, when such belief is reasonably grounded, is a defense to a prosecution for bigamy; but, if the doctrine of these cases is sound, which we do not concede, it has no application whatever to the facts of this case.” (Italics ours.)”

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