Knox v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

16 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““[I]f it is clear that Article 37.07, § 4(a), does not apply to capital felonies, then it is also clear that jurors in capital cases should focus solely on the special issues submitted to them during the punishment phase. * * * Since jurors do not actually ‘sentence’ a defendant in Texas capital cases, their attention should be directed only to answering the special issues without regard to the sentence that will ultimately be imposed.””

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

2. “unmistakably clear (1) that they would automatically vote against the imposition of capital punishment without regard to any evidence that might be developed at trial of the case before them, or (2) that their attitude toward the death penalty might prevent them from making an impartial decision as to the defendant’s guilt.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Ex Parte Williams

3. “whether a juror's views would `prevent or substantially impair the performance of his duties as a juror in accordance with his instructions and his oath.'”

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