State v. Melton’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

3 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 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “There was no evidence in the state’s case in chief that Melton owned, had any possessory interest, or control over the land where the marihuana was growing. Melton’s neighbor, John Clayton, who owned the land in question, testified that Melton had nothing to do with the marihuana patch, nor had he helped Clayton in growing, cultivating, or harvesting it. Melton had permission to be on the Clayton farm, and said that on the day in question he was looking for deer signs when he discovered the marihuana patch. As to the marihuana plant the officers saw in Melton’s hand when he left the field, Melton said, “I ... didn’t know where [sic] I had reached over and pulled one up to look at it or what.””

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