Commonwealth v. Luthy’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 district · 21 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 23 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[O]ur inquiry as to the sufficiency of the search warrant application always begins and ends with the 'four corners of the affidavit.' " Commonwealth v. O'Day , 440 Mass. 296 , 297 (2003), quoting from Commonwealth v. Villella , 39 Mass. App. Ct. 426 , 428 (1995). "The central inquiry is whether the affidavit accompanying the search warrant sets forth probable cause to believe that the drugs or related evidence from the drug delivery service are likely to be found at the defendant['s] residence.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 92 Mass. App. Ct. 1114 - Commonwealth v. Barbosa

2. “The connection between the items to be seized and the place to be searched does not have to be based on direct observations; it may be found by looking at the type of crime, nature of the items, the suspect's opportunity to conceal items, and inferences as to where the items are likely to be hidden”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Alexis

3. “[a]n inference drawn from circumstantial evidence 'need only be reasonable and possible; it need not be necessary or inescapable.'”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Silva