Adams v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

8 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 8 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Each film explicitly shows acts of sexual intercourse and oral sex. Except for the participants who could be identified, the films are similar in content. The entire footage of each film presents explicit sexual activity of a type barred by statute, and the films are so similar that one could not conceivably find one film obscene and the other film not. “Appellant argues that the lack of notice prevented him from defending himself against the State’s allegations that the one film shown to convict him lacked serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. However, we are unable to conjecture a scenario in which the substantial rights of the appellant were prejudiced. The films are so similar (in that they depict essentially the same conduct) that appellant could not possibly have defended on a theory applicable to one film but not the other.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Adams v. State · Russell v. State

2. ““These factors [constituting the statutory definition of “obscene”] impose quite a burden on the State and afford the accused a variety of defensive tactics based upon the material itself. Without specific knowledge of the material relied upon by the State, the accused is foreclosed from utilizing the variety of defenses which relate to the specific material relied upon for prosecution. At the pre-trial hearing, appellant argued that the State could have distinguished one film from another by specifying the booth number, or film type, or by describing the actors involved. We agree.” [emphasis in original].”

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

3. ““knowing the content and character of certain material, to-wit: one (1) motion picture, the title of which is unknown to affiant, to be obscene, unlawfully and knowingly promote said obscene material by then and there exhibiting said obscene material to R. Vipond, which material depicts ultimate sexual acts, to-wit: sexual intercourse.””

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