Page v. McCuen’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

24 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 24 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “We commend the General Assembly’s past effort in attempting to establish reasonable statutory timetables to implement initiative and referendum measures under Amendment 7. We respectfully ask its further consideration and action and encourage the General Assembly to make another attempt to establish an initiative and referendum procedure that will permit early resolution of such issues. Until appropriate action is taken to correct the problems attendant to proposals submitted under Amendment 7, citizens can continue to expect measures to be removed from the ballot immediately prior to the election. This court does not enjoy being in the “last-minute” position of review. The people of Arkansas deserve an initiative and referendum procedure which allows them the confidence that measures, after having been adequately reviewed, will not be removed from the ballot. The sponsors of initiative proposals should also be assured their ballot titles and proposed measures meet required guidelines and rules before they spend their time, energy and monies in getting their proposal before the voters.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Stilley v. Priest · May v. Daniels

2. “The Amendment 5 sponsors’ choice or insistence in covering the establishment and operation of casino gaming in so much detail can be said to have sounded the proposal’s own death knell. Here, proposed Amendment 5 is so all-encompassing that to include every important factor of the proposal in the ballot tide would cause the ballot title to be so complex, detailed and lengthy that the Arkansas voter could not intelligendy make a choice on the tide within the five minutes allowed in the voting booth. Cf. Dust v. Riviere, Secretary of State, 277 Ark. 1 , 638 S.W.2d 663 (1977); see also Gaines v. McCuen, 296 Ark. 513 , 758 S.W.2d 403 (1988); Ark. Code Ann. § 7-5-522 (d) (Repl. 1993). Although Amendment 7 to the Arkansas Constitution does not specify a limit on the length of a proposal, the proposed measure must be of a size capable of having a ballot title which will not only convey the scope and import of the measure, but also impart a description of the proposal so voters can cast their votes intelligendy and with a fair understanding on the issue. In sum, proposed Amendment 5 is so expansive that it precludes the writing of an acceptable ballot tide.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Crochet v. Priest

3. “Before casting their ballots, voters no doubt would pause for reflection if they were aware “the” designated site had already been established in the proposed constitutional measure itself, thereby guaranteeing the site’s owner whatever benefits that would result from the measure’s passage.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Parker v. Priest