Sambrano v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

4 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 4 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “As said in some of the opinions, the reason for the rule forbidding a new trial for the purpose of admitting cumulative [impeaching] testimony is that public policy, looking to the finality of trials, requires that a defendant be held to diligence in preparing their cases for trial; but this policy, which seeks to limit continued litigation, should never be applied where the newly discovered testimony may be of that cogency and force where it might probably show that an innocent man may probably be caused to suffer for a crime he did not commit. Courts are organized, and the object of the law is that the true facts may be arrived at and justice administered; and where the evidence is about upon an equipoise as to whether a man committed an offense or not, if there is really newly discovered testimony coming from a credible source, this rule will be held in subordination to the great end to be obtained — that is, meeting out justice to each individual citizen.”

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

2. “Society wins not only when the guilty are convicted but when criminal trials are fair, our system of the administration of justice suffers when any accused is treated unfairly.”

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