Prentis v. Bates’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

40 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 40 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““ Where the testimony of the witness only goes the length of showing acts which are entirely consistent with sanity, and which have not the slightest tendency to show insanity, it would be a dangerous rule which would permit his opinion to be received.””

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Renaud v. Pageot · Hibbard v. Baker

2. ““It must be an exceedingly plain case of an abuse of privilege which will justify the setting aside the verdict on the ground of improper opening either in statement of the law or fact. Nothing short of bad faith or a gross misconception of what is admissible, resulting in bringing to the attention of the jury matters wholly irrelevant, and of a nature calculated to create so profound an impression that the charge of the court cannot eliminate the prejudice produced, will justify an appellate court in vacating a judgment on such grounds; and, in determining whether such an error has been committed, it is believed to be entirely safe to credit the jury with at least average intelligence.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Lafrenz v. Stoddard · People v. Smith

3. ““ We think this Court has never evinced the purpose of creating one rule of evidence which shall apply in will cases, but which is not to be adopted in any other.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Haines v. Hayden