Chief Justice Burke has written seventy majority opinions in criminal cases. Her most frequent topic is criminal procedure, with seventeen majorities. She has written sixteen opinions on constitutional law and ten involving sentencing issues. She's written eight majorities involving violent crime issues, seven in habeas corpus cases and six in juvenile justice cases. She's written three majority opinions in cases involving sex offenses and one each in death penalty, property crimes and process crimes cases.
In contrast to her record in civil cases, the Chief Justice has dissented fairly often in criminal cases – 44 dissents to compare to her 70 majorities. Her most frequent dissenting topic is criminal procedure, with sixteen cases. Next is constitutional law, with thirteen cases. She has written six dissents in juvenile justice cases, three in habeas matters, two apiece in property law and mental health cases and one dissent each in cases involving sex offenses, sentencing law, drug offenses and process crimes.
Join us back here later in the week as we begin our examination of the tenure of Justice Mary Jane Theis.
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