State v. Elam’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 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 2 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “If you find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt: First, that on May 23, 1981, in the County of St. Louis, State of Missouri, defendant and William Dalton committed the offense of robbery in the second degree in that defendant or William Dalton stole narcotic drugs in the possession of Herman Hecht and in doing so defendant or William Dalton threatened the immediate use of physical force against Herman Hecht and Second, that the defendant or William Dalton committed the offense submitted to you in the foregoing paragraph by, with or through the use, assistance or aid of a deadly weapon, then you are instructed that the offense of armed criminal action has occurred, and if you further find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt: Third, that with the purpose of promoting or furthering the commission of armed criminal action the defendant acted together with or aided William Dalton in committing that offense then you will find the defendant guilty of armed criminal action.”

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