Commonwealth v. Petersen’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

14 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 14 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “in some sense of that dubious term does not suggest that the proof was insufficient.' Commonwealth v. Best , 381 Mass. 472 , 483 (1980). 'While it is not necessary to prove that the defendant had the exclusive opportunity to commit the crime[ ], ... and while the inferences need not be inescapable or necessary, ... yet the evidence must be such as to convince a [fact finder] beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, and no one else, committed the offence[ ] charged.' Commonwealth v. Shea , 324 Mass. 710 , 713 (1949).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 93 Mass. App. Ct. 1106 - Commonwealth v. Rizki

2. “courts have held that the police may, in the absence of any contrary evidence, reasonably conclude that a vehicle is likely being driven by its registered owner”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 93 Mass. App. Ct. 1106 - Commonwealth v. Rizki

3. “there was no evidence tending to indicate that someone other than the defendant was operating the [Mercedes].”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 93 Mass. App. Ct. 1106 - Commonwealth v. Rizki