2005 Pa. Super. 293 - Commonwealth v. Smith’s Empirical Analysis
2005
Citation profile
3 state decisions
Relationships
Relies on 437 Pa. Super. 258 - Commonwealth v. Berryman · In Re Investigating Grand Jury · 252 Pa. Super. 228 - Commonwealth v. Cluck · Commonwealth v. Lurie · 2001 Pa. Super. 351 - Commonwealth v. Shamberger
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 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“Clearly the forging of those documents resulted in the [defendant’s] hiring and his termination; that fact, however, does not mean the documents are legal documents or documents affecting legal relations. The reason for imposing a higher penalty for legal writings or documents evidencing a legal relationship, such as a contract, will, deed, or stock certificate, is directly related to the rights, monetary and otherwise, that are created by those writings, the need to protect those rights, and the value and symbolism our society imposes upon those documents. The documents in this ease did not create a legal relationship or obligate either party to perform pursuant to that relationship.”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage“(c) Grading. — Forgery is a felony of the second degree if the writing is or purports to be part of an issue of money, securities, postage or revenue stamps, or other instruments issued by the government, or part of an issue of stock, bonds or other instruments representing interests in or claims against any property or enterprise. Forgery is a felony of the third degree if the writing is or purports to be a will, deed, contract, release, commercial instrument, or other document evidencing, creating, transferring, altering, terminating or otherwise affecting legal relations. Otherwise forgery is a misdemeanor of the first degree.”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.