217 Mich. App. 607 - In Re Halbert’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

4 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 4 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The primary purpose of M.C.L. § 710.51(6); M.S.A. § 27.3178(555.51)(6) is to allow a stepparent who provides the material and emotional support to a child that would be expected of the child's legal parent to adopt the child of a noncustodial parent who has essentially abandoned the child and who has refused to, or is unavailable to, consent to the adoption. In re Colon, supra, at pp 810-811 , 377 N.W.2d 321 . This purpose may be effectuated only where the noncustodial parent is situated in circumstances whereby that parent can earn a living and acquire the wherewithal to support a child, where the noncustodial parent has ignored or abandoned the natural obligations owed a child by a parent, and where the noncustodial parent has refused, or intentionally has become unavailable, to consent to the adoption. Respondent's lengthy incarceration before the filing of the petitions for termination of his parental rights and for adoption—and, hence, his inability to earn a living and acquire the wherewithal to provide support for [the child]—take respondent outside the intended scope of M.C.L. § 710.51(6); M.S.A. § 27.3178(555.51)(6). [ Id. at 615-616, 552 N.W.2d 528 .]”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 225 Mich. App. 801 - Matter of Caldwell

2. “[w]here the language employed in a statute is plain, certain, and unambiguous, the statute must be applied as written without interpretation.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 225 Mich. App. 801 - Matter of Caldwell

3. “visit, contact, or communicate with the child.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 225 Mich. App. 801 - Matter of Caldwell