671 So. 2d 186 - Pierce 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. “Now, I’ll give you a more elaborate definition of what that phrase beyond to [sic] the exclusion of every reasonable doubt means when I give you the legal instructions at the conclusion of the trial. Suffice it to say it’s a very heavy burden the State shoulders whenever it charges somebody with committing a crime. In order to secure a conviction that is it [sic] has to convince a jury beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt of the defendant’s guilt. But even though it’s a heavy burden the state does, I repeat, stress, emphasize, the state does not have to convince you to an absolute certainty of the defendant’s guilt. Nothing is absolutely certain, nothing is absolutely certain in life other than death and taxes. So the point I’m trying to make is you can still have a doubt as to the Defendant’s guilt and still find him guilty so long as it’s not a reasonable doubt. A reasonable doubt simply stated is a doubt you can attach a reason to. If you have a doubt at the conclusion of this trial you have a doubt as to the defendant’s guilt that you can attach a reason to you must find the defendant not guilty. But if on the other hand at the conclusion of this trial the only kind of doubt you have as to the defendant’s is a possible doubt, a speculative doubt, an imaginary doubt, a forced doubt, that’s not a reasonable doubt. If all elements of the crime have been proven to you must find the defendant guilty.”

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

2. “Noting the issue to be one of first impression, the trial court determined that the proffered computer animation was”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 718 So. 2d 806 - Pierce v. State

3. “merely a device or means to express an expert's opinion.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 718 So. 2d 806 - Pierce v. State