Cotter v. Commonwealth’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

13 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 13 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““In defining ‘just cause’ we are aided by a provision of the Civil Service Act, supra, at 71 P.S. §741. 905(a) and by the case law of our courts. The Civil Service Act states: ‘No officer or employe of the Commonwealth shall discriminate against any person in recruitment, examination, appointment, training, promotion, retention or any other personnel action with respect to the classified service because of political or religious opinions or affiliations because of labor union affiliations or because of race, national origin or other nonmerit factors.’ We are able to discern that the legislative intent relating to one’s relationship with the classified service turns upon a merit concept. This means that any ‘personnel action’ carried out by the Commonwealth is to be scrutinized in the light of such merit criteria, as has the party failed to properly execute his duties, or has he done an act which hampers or frustrates the execution of same. The criteria must be job-related and in some rational and logical manner touch upon competency and ability.” (Emphasis in original.)”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Grant