Williams 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. “[On] day 2 of the trial of Eduardo Williams there were two jurors freely talking about the case. They had already found him guilty of the offense. They said it was a waste of time and money. And it was an act. They did not follow the judge’s directions. [[Image here]] [Two women jurors] discussed the case after being sworn by the judge. When Mr. Williams was first seen by the jury he was unshaven and rough looking. After he was shaven, the two women [jurors] said he, Mr. Williams, is just trying to look innocent. [[Image here]] The two women did not want to be on the jury and stated that the trial was a waste of time and money. This was said before the state ever finished putting on their case. The atmosphere of the jury was that Mr. Williams was guilty before the defense ever put on their case.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Nichol Phelps v. State

2. “You should not form any definite or fixed opinion on the merits of the case until you have heard all the evidence, the argument of the lawyers and the instructions on the law by the judge. Until that time you should not discuss the case among yourselves.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 922 So. 2d 386 - Ramirez v. State

3. “[O]nce a prima facie case of potential prejudice has been established, the burden is on the State to rebut the . . . presumption of prejudice.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 922 So. 2d 386 - Ramirez v. State