State v. Ranieri’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

21 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 21 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““A witness may not testify to a matter unless evidence is introduced sufficient to support a finding that the witness has personal knowledge of the matter. Evidence to prove personal knowledge may, but need not, consist of the testimony of the witness himself or herself.””

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Rice · State v. Hall

2. ““In deciding whether a witness is competent for purposes of Rule 602, the trial justice must determine whether a witness had a sufficient opportunity to perceive the subject matter about which he is testifying. * * * The justice is not making a credibility determination and is not judging whether the witness is accurately and truthfully relating that which he perceived.” Id. at 1098 .”

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

3. “[a] witness's testimony is inadmissible * * * only if the trial justice finds that the witness could not have actually perceived or observed that to which he or she purports to testify.”

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