Crews v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

34 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 34 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(1) no finding of fact is necessary where the only issue is one of law, but the court must still enter a conclusion of law; (2) an appellate court will not order a useless remand to direct the court to issue a proper conclusion of law on an isolated issue where it is clear that the movant is entitled to no relief as a matter of law and will suffer no prejudice by denying a remand; ' (3) findings and conclusions are not required on an allegation if the court grants a hearing on the motion and the movant fails to present substantial evidence at the hearing to support that allegation; (4) findings and conclusions are not required for issues that were not properly raised or are not cognizable in a post-conviction motion; and, (5) reversal is not required if the motion itself was insufficient. Id. at 568 .”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Ivan Mitchell v. State of Missouri · White v. State

2. “The motion court is not required to issue itemized findings of fact and conclusions of law. Rather the findings and conclusions must be sufficient to permit meaningful appellate review. “The absence of findings or conclusions giving the basis of the trial court’s action leaves an appellate court in the dark as to the reasons for the trial court’s action and presents nothing of substances for review.” Findings and conclusions cannot be supplied by implication from the court’s ruling.”

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