State v. Branch’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

3 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 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “. based upon the theory of the kindred nature of vices. This involves the necessity of sanctioning the drawing of an inference from an inference. A witness having been shown to be dishonest or immoral [or to have committed a felony], it is inferred from that trait of character that he is untruthful; then upon the inference that he is untruthful generally it may be inferred that he is untruthful in the testimony which he has given. Id. at 539 , 164 P.2d at 186 .”

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

2. “A witness may be impeached by the party against whom he was called, by contradictory evidence, or by evidence that his general reputation for truth, honesty or integrity is bad, but not by evidence of particular wrongful acts, except that it may be shown by the examination of the witness, or the record of the judgment, that he had been convicted of a felony.”

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

3. “. not applicable to a defendant in a criminal action in this jurisdiction, for the very obvious reason that there is no statutory provision here, as in other jurisdictions, providing that a defendant, when he testifies in his own behalf, becomes “as any other witness” and is governed by the same rules of evidence. Id. at 537, 164 P.2d at 186 .”

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