Burns v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 federal appellate · 41 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 42 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Once the prosecution has provided evidence of the existence of one or more aggravating circumstances as described in subsection (5), the prosecution may introduce, and subsequently argue, victim impact evidence. Such evidence shall be designed to demonstrate the victim's uniqueness as an individual human being and the resultant loss to the community's members by the victim's death. Characterizations and opinions about the crime, the defendant, and the appropriate sentence shall not be permitted as a part of victim impact evidence.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 832 So. 2d 730 - Chavez v. State · 845 So. 2d 41 - Kormondy v. State

2. “Burns was one of seventeen children raised in a poor rural environment and consequently had few economic, educational, or social advantages, but despite these disadvantages, he is intelligent and became continuously employed after high school.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 944 So. 2d 234 - Burns v. State · 774 So. 2d 649 - Beasley v. State

3. “We have ... repeatedly upheld section 921.141 against claims that the capital sentencing statute improperly regulates practice and procedure.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 803 So. 2d 656 - Looney v. State · 870 So. 2d 152 - In Re Commitment of Cartwright