State v. Quinlan’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. “We are satisfied that the officers had reasonable suspicion to conduct a pat-down frisk for weapons after they had observed furtive and suspicious behavior [continuously reaching to the floor of a Jeep] and after the occupants repeatedly ignored orders to keep their hands where Officer Kerrigan could see them.”

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

2. “look to the record, the jury's findings, the trial justice's conclusions, and the character and propensities of the defendant, including any aggravating circumstances as well as any mitigating factors.”

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

3. “this Court * * * exercise[s] its own independent judgment and discretion in determining, the appropriateness of the sentence.”

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