ELLIOTT v. Sligh’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

15 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 15 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““All considerations involving the wisdom, policy or expediency of an act are addressed exclusively to the General Assembly. We are only concerned with the power of that body to enact a law. Every presumption will be made in favor of the constitutionality of a legislative enactment. But when the unconstitutionality of an act is clear to this court, beyond a reasonable doubt, then it is its plain duty to say so, Thomas v. Macklen, 186 S. C. 290, 195 S. E. 539 .””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Timmons v. South Carolina Tricentennial Commission

2. ““* * * The fact that legislation is expressed in general terms is not controlling. A law general in form, but special in its operation, violates a constitutional inhibition of special legislation as much as one special in form. The question must be decided not by the letter, but by the spirit and practical operation of the act. Town of Forest Acres v. Town of Forest Lake, 226 S. C. 349, 85 S. E. (2d) 192 .””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Timmons v. South Carolina Tricentennial Commission