State v. Davis’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

6 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 6 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “In a case based on circumstantial evidence, the facts and circumstances must be consistent with each other and with the hypothesis of defendant’s guilt and inconsistent with his innocence. State v. Porter, 640 S.W.2d 125, 127 (Mo. banc 1982). However, the circumstantial evidence need not be absolutely conclusive of guilt or demonstrate the impossibility of innocence. State v. Morgan, 592 S.W.2d 796, 805 (Mo. banc 1980). Our function is not to weigh the evidence but to determine whether there was sufficient evidence from which reasonable persons could find defendant guilty as charged. State v. Kelly, 539 S.W.2d 106, 109 (Mo. banc 1976).”

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

2. “need not be positive, absolute, certain or wholly unqualified.”

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