People v. Brandyberry’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 16 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[C]onduct which would otherwise constitute an offense is justifiable and not criminal when it is necessary as an emergency measure to avoid an imminent public or private injury which is about to occur by reason of a situation occasioned or developed through no conduct of the actor, and which is of sufficient gravity that, according to ordinary standards of intelligence and morality, the desirability and urgency of avoiding the injury clearly outweigh the desirability of avoiding the injury sought to be prevented by the statute defining the offense in issue.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. People v. Auman · People v. BRANTE

2. “Under the plain language of the statute, evidence in support of the defense must first be proffered or presented to the trial court.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. People v. Shepherd · People v. Al-Yousif

3. “• “[Ejmergency” means “ ‘a sudden unexpected happening; a sudden or unexpected occasion for action; a pressing necessity; [or] an unforeseen combination of circumstances that calls for immediate action.’” Id. (second alteration in original) (quoting Black’s Law Dictionary 469 (rev. 5th ed.1979)). • “ ‘Imminent’ means ‘near at hand, impending or on the point of happening.’ ” Id. • “ ‘Urgency connotes a status demanding immediate attention.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. People v. BRANTE