State v. Carter’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

3 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 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “In reviewing a ruling on a motion to suppress evidence, “we are deferential to the trial court and will reverse only if it abused its discretion, i.e., if the decision is unsupported by the record.” Rachal v. State, 917 S.W.2d 799, 809 (Tex.Crim.App.1996). As recently set forth by the Court of Criminal Appeals in DuBose v. State, 915 S.W.2d 493, 496-497 (Tex.Crim.App.1996) (citations omitted): At a suppression hearing, the trial judge is the sole and exclusive trier of fact and judge of the credibility of the witnesses, as well as the weight to be given their testimony. The trial judge is also the initial arbiter of the legal significance of those facts. The court of appeals is to limit its review of the trial court’s rulings, both as to the facts and the legal significance of those facts, to a determination of whether the trial court abused its discretion. Even if the court of appeals would have reached a different result, as long as the trial court’s rulings are at least within the ‘zone of reasonable disagreement,’ the appellate court should not intercede. The reviewing court does not engage in its own factual review, but merely determines whether the trial judge’s fact findings are supported by the record; we address only whether the trial court improperly applied the law to the facts. Romero v. State, 800 S.W.2d 539, 543 (Tex.Crim.App.1990). “As long as there is a ‘substantial basis’ in the record to support the magistrate’s (or trial court’s) ruling, it is impervious to”

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