Beck v. Shelton’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

27 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 28 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““is plain and unambiguous, we are bound by the plain meaning of that statutory language. Thus, when the General Assembly has used words that have a plain meaning, courts cannot give those words a construction that amounts to holding that the General Assembly meant something other than that which it actually expressed.””

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 46 Va. App. 161 - Epps v. Commonwealth · 60 Va. App. 213 - Daily Press, Inc. v. Commonwealth

2. “[i]ndisputably, the use of computers for textual communication has become commonplace around the world. It can involve communication that is functionally similar to a letter sent by ordinary mail, courier, or facsimile transmission. In this respect, there may be significant delay before the communication is received and additional delay in response. However, computers can be utilized to exchange text in the nature of a discussion, potentially involving multiple participants, in what are euphemistically called "chat rooms" or by "instant messaging." In these forms, computer generated communication is virtually simultaneous.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Hill v. Fairfax County School Bd.

3. “"assemble" means "to bring together" and comes from the Latin simul, meaning "together, at the same time." Webster's Third New International Dictionary 131 (1993). The term inherently entails the quality of simultaneity. While such simultaneity may be present when e-mail technology is used in a "chat room" or as "instant messaging," it is not present when e-mail is used as the functional equivalent of letter communication by ordinary mail, courier, or facsimile transmission.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Hill v. Fairfax County School Bd.