George v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

20 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The intent of a legislative act, as deducible from its language and legislative setting, is as much a part of the law as the words themselves, Pillans & Smith Co. v. Lowe, 1934, 117 Fla. 249 , 157 So. 649 , and in determining that legislative intent, the subject matter on which the statute' operates as well as the language-of the statute must be considered, State ex rel. Harris v. Bowden, 1933, 112 Fla. 288 , 150 So. 259 . A statute should be construed and applied so as to fairly and liberally accomplish the beneficial purpose for which it was adopted, even if the result seems contradictory to ordinary rules of construction and the strict wording of the statute. Beebe v. Richardson, 1945, 156 Fla. 559 , 23 So.2d 718 ; Hanson v. State, Fla.1952, 56 So.2d 129 ; Tylee v. Hyde, 1910, 60 Fla, 389, 52 So. 968 ; City of Fort Lauderdale v. Des Camps, Fla.App.1959, 111 So.2d 693 ; Foley v. State ex rel. Gordon, Fla.1951, 50 So.2d 179 . “A statute should not be construed to bring about an unreasonable .or absurd, result, but rather1 to effectuate the obvious purpose and objective of the legislature. State ex rel. Florida Industrial Commission v. Willis, Fla.App.1960, 124 So.2d 48 . The law favors a rational and sensible construction of statutes so as to avoid an unreasonable or absurd result. Sharon v. State, Fla.App.1963, 156 So.2d 677 . “A logical and practical intent should be ascribed to every legislative act. Silver Sands of Pensacola Beach, Inc. v. Pensacola Loan & Sav. Bank, Fl”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Harris v. State · 388 So. 2d 305 - Ingraham v. City of Miami

2. “"A logical and practical intent should be ascribed to every legislative act. Silver Sands of Pensacola Beach, Inc. v. Pensacola Loan & Sav. Bank, Fla.App. 1965, 174 So.2d 61 . And the manifest intent of the legislature will prevail over any literal import of words used by it; and no literal interpretation leading to an unreasonable conclusion or a purpose not intended by the law should be given. Worden v. Hunt, Fla.App. 1962, 147 So.2d 548 . ...... "Penal statutes must be strictly construed, but they are not to be construed so strictly as to emasculate the statutes and defeat the obvious intention of the legislature. State v. Hooten, Fla.App., 122 So.2d 336 . In other words, such strict construction is subordinate to the rule that the intention of the lawmakers shall be given effect. Chapman v. Lake, 1933, 112 Fla. 746 , 151 So. 399 ; Haworth v. Chapman, 1933, 113 Fla. 591 , 152 So. 633 ... ."”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 335 So. 2d 832 - Associated Dry Goods Corp. v. Dept. of Rev.

3. ““(a) . . . provided however that no crime may be charged in respect to the giving of any such check or draft or other written order where the payee knows or has been expressly notified or has reason to believe that the drawer did not have on deposit or to his credit with the drawee sufficient funds to insure payment thereof.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 277 So. 2d 310 - Tappan v. State