Commonwealth v. Smith

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• holding that, where the defendant voluntarily consumed alcohol and prescription medication without regard for its “synergistic effect,” the defendant did not establish an involuntary intoxication defense to driving under the influence
• noting that “Pennsylvania[,] like many other jurisdictions, either by statute or caselaw, specifically limits the availability of a voluntary intoxication defense but does not specify whether an involuntary intoxication defense is available”
• finding a defendant's testimony alone insufficient to justify an involuntary intoxication defense without expert testimony to establish the effect that the combination of drugs would have had on the user
• finding a defendant’s self-serving testimony alone insufficient to justify an involuntary intoxication defense without expert testimony to establish the effect that the combination of drugs would have had on the user

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).

Cited by

11 cases in this archive cite this case.

• Commonwealth v. Mobley
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 2011-01-14· cited 123×
• Farmer, Kody William
  Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas· 2013-10-09· cited 86×
• Joseph Wallace v. Superintendent Mahanoy SCI
  Third Circuit· 2021-06-22· cited 69×
• Commonwealth v. DiPanfilo
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 2010-04-16· cited 50×
• Marone v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
  Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania· 2010-03-03· cited 16×
• Commonwealth v. Griffith
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 2009-07-02· cited 10×
• Richard Dorsey v. State of Alaska
  Court of Appeals of Alaska· 2021-01-22· cited 1×
• State of Arizona v. Shawn De Nean Edmisten
  Court of Appeals of Arizona· 2009-03-23
• Commonwealth v. Goldhaber
  Bedford County Court of Common Pleas· 2007-01-26
• Commonwealth v. Ulrich
  Berks County Court of Common Pleas· 2010-10-04
• Com. v. Whitcomb, H.
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 2025-08-20

Cites

13 cases in this archive are cited by this case.

• Commonwealth v. Meadows
  Supreme Court of Pennsylvania· 1977-02-28· cited 108×
• Commonwealth v. Groff
  Supreme Court of Pennsylvania· 1988-09-20· cited 103×
• Commonwealth v. Palmer
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 2000-04-19· cited 80×
• City of Minneapolis v. Altimus
  Supreme Court of Minnesota· 1976-01-09· cited 67×
• Commonwealth v. Hicks
  Supreme Court of Pennsylvania· 1979-01-24· cited 60×
• State v. Mriglot
  Washington Supreme Court· 1977-05-26· cited 39×
• Commonwealth v. Collins
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 2002-11-04· cited 38×
• State v. Gardner
  Court of Appeals of Wisconsin· 1999-08-11· cited 25×
• Commonwealth v. Todaro
  Supreme Court of Pennsylvania· 1982-06-18· cited 18×
• State v. Lucas
  Supreme Court of Iowa· 1985-05-22· cited 11×
• Commonwealth v. Griscom
  Superior Court of Pennsylvania· 1991-12-17· cited 9×
• State v. Mriglot
  Court of Appeals of Washington· 1976-05-12· cited 7×
• Commonwealth v. Driver
  Supreme Court of Pennsylvania· 1985-05-31· cited 7×