921 So. 2d 94 - State v. Sosa’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

55 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 55 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “assuming every fact to be proved that the evidence tends to prove, in order to convict, it must exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence.”

   7 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Waguespack · 124 So. 3d 592 - State v. Arnold

2. “[I]n cases involving circumstantial evidence, when a jury rationally rejects the hypothesis of innocence advanced by the defendant, that hypothesis fails, and “the defendant is guilty unless there is another hypothesis which raises a reasonable doubt,” i.e., an “alternative hypothesis ... sufficiently reasonable that a rational juror could not have found proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” State v. Captville, 448 So.2d at 680 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 966 So. 2d 654 - State v. Vassar · State v. Young

3. “The trier-of-fact makes credibility determinations, and may, within the bounds of rationality, accept or reject the testimony of any witness.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Young · 932 So. 2d 736 - State v. Surratt