Simpson v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “If the evidence in this case is susceptible of two constructions or interpretations, each of which appears to be reasonable, and one of which points to the guilt of the Defendant, and the other to his innocence, it is your duty, under the law, to adopt that interpretation which is consistent with his innocence and reject that which points to his guilt.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Robert Lawrence Albores, Jr. v. State of Indiana · Joseph Matheny v. State of Indiana

2. “In reviewing a challenge to a jury instruction, we consider: (1) whether the instruction is a correct statement of the law; (2) whether there was evidence in the record to support giving the instruction; and (8) whether the substance of the instruction is covered by other instructions given by the court.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Seeley v. State · Rhoton v. State

3. “If you find conflicting testimony, you may have to decide what testimony you will believe and what testimony you do not believe. You may believe all of what a witness said, or only part of it, or none of it. The quantity of evidence or the number of witnesses need not control your determination of the truth. You should give the greatest value to the evidence you find most convincing.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Robert Lawrence Albores, Jr. v. State of Indiana · Stephen Brakie v. State of Indiana