Corbett v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

36 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 36 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Because the admission and exclusion of evidence falls within the sound discretion of the trial court, this Court reviews the admission of photographic evidence only for abuse of discretion. Relevant evidence, including photographs, may be excluded only if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Even gory and revolting photographs may be admissible as long as they are relevant to some material issue or show scenes that a witness could describe orally. Photographs, even those gruesome in nature, are admissible if they act as interpretative aids for the jury and have strong probative value.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Custis v. State · Schiro v. State

2. “Determining mitigating circumstances is within the discretion of the trial court. A trial court need not regard or weigh a possible mitigating circumstance the same as urged by the defendant. When a defendant alleges that the trial court failed to identify or find a mitigating circumstance, the defendant must establish that the mitigating evidence is both significant and clearly supported by the record. The trial court is not required to make an affirmative finding expressly negating each potentially mitigating circumstance.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Hillenburg v. State · Davis v. State

3. “a reviewing court may impinge on the fact-finder's responsibility to judge witness credibility when a 'sole witness presents inherently contradictory testimony which is equivocal or the result of coercion and there is a complete lack of cireumstantial evidence' of the defendant's guilt.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Hampton v. State · Jacobs v. State