Horton v. Meskill’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

50 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 53 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “First, the plaintiffs must make a prima facie showing that disparities in educational expenditures are more than de minimis in that the disparities continue to jeopardize the plaintiffs' fundamental right to education. If they make that showing, the burden then shifts to the state to justify these disparities as incident to the advancement of a legitimate state policy. If the state's justification is acceptable, the state must further demonstrate that the continuing disparities are nevertheless not so great as to be unconstitutional.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding, Inc. v. Rell · Conn. Coal. for Justice in Educ. Funding, Inc. v. Rell

2. “a salutary role for [preserving] local choice by guaranteeing minimum funds without imposing a ceiling on what a town might elect to spend for public education.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding, Inc. v. Rell · Conn. Coal. for Justice in Educ. Funding, Inc. v. Rell

3. “There shall always be free public elementary and secondary schools in the state. The general assembly shall implement this principle by appropriate legislation.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding, Inc. v. Rell · Broadly v. Meriden Board of Education, No. 27 35 07 (Aug. 18, 1992)