# Smith v. State

> Supreme Court of Alabama · June 1, 1916 · 197 Ala. 193

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/7368711

## Case

- **Full name:** Smith v. State
- **Court:** Supreme Court of Alabama
- **Decided:** June 1, 1916
- **Citations:** 197 Ala. 193; 72 So. 316; 1916 Ala. LEXIS 8
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Concurrence by Mayfield
- **Judges:** Anderson, Gardner, Mayfield, McClellan, Sayre, Somerville, Thomas
- **Cited by:** 73 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/7368711

## Opinion text

MAYFIELD, J.
I concur, but wish to guard my concurrence against holding that the defendant’s general bad character after the offense can ever be inquired into for any purpose. His character for truth and veracity may be shown, up to the time of the trial; but the evidence must be limited to that sole purpose, and this cannot be done by showing his general bad character, after the offense, though the general bad character, as a rule, tends to impeach, or go to the credibility of a witness.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/7368711. Public record. Not legal advice.