648 So. 2d 1042 - State v. Theriot’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. “In the instant case, [the arson investigation expert] testified that the fire ... was intentionally set, as opposed to an accidental or spontaneous fire. [The expert] also indicated that the fire had only been burning for a short period of time and that it could have been ignited with only a lighter. This uncontroverted testimony was itself sufficient to allow the jury to conclude that the fire occurred as a result of someone’s criminal act. Lieutenant Dupuy’s observation of defendant pulling out of the residence’s driveway, as well as defendant’s own statements to Detective Brown, were sufficient to allow the jury to conclude based on circumstantial evidence that defendant was present at the residence when the fire started. Finally, consider- mg that defendant’s clothing smelled like smoke and that his fingertips appeared to be burned, the jury did not act irrationally in concluding that defendant actually set fire to the residence. ... Viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the evidence was sufficient to support a finding that defendant was guilty of aggravated arson.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 217 So. 3d 470 - State v. Purvis