Dell v. Dell’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “On appeal from an order terminating parental rights based on an adoption petition, we construe the evidence favorably to the trial court’s ruling and determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found by clear and convincing evidence that the biological parent’s rights to custody have been lost. We do not weigh the evidence or assess witness credibility, but defer to the trial court’s factual findings and affirm unless this standard is not met. 1”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sauls v. Atchison · 346 Ga. App. 196 - Steele v. Steele.

2. “[T]he minor child, E. D., was born on September 14, 2002. E. D. is the natural child of Dwain and Leah, who were married at the time of E. D.’s birth. Dwain and Leah separated when E. D. was a toddler because Leah became addicted to methamphetamine. E. D. was subsequently found to be deprived, and Dwain was awarded custody of her. In December 2004, Dwain and Leah divorced, and Dwain was granted permanent primary physical and legal custody of E. D. Although Leah was properly served in the divorce action and had notice of the hearing, she did not appear. Between 2004 and November 2006, Leah regularly visited with E. D. Although ordered to pay monthly child support, however, Leah made only one payment of approximately $1,300 after Dwain filed a contempt action. In 2007, Leah moved to Florida. After she moved, Leah and Dwain lost contact with each other. Since that time, Leah has not contacted Dwain or E. D., paid any child support, or sent any letters, cards or gifts. Dwain and Sarah married in June 2007, and had a daughter, A. D., in January 2010. Sarah is a certified pre-K teacher. . . . Sarah has lived with and cared for E. D. since 2007, and E. D. considers Sarah to be her mother. E. D. has no health problems, has progressed appropriately in school and has bonded with her half-sister, A. D. On September 3, 2010, Dwain and Sarah filed their petition to terminate Leah’s parental rights. The petition also requested an order permitting Sarah to adopt E. D. Although Leah was pers”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Dell v. Dell

3. “the court may nevertheless terminate the biological parent’s rights and grant the stepparent’s petition to adopt the child if it finds, among other things, that there is clear and convincing evidence that the parent has abandoned the child, ... or that the parent, [“]for a period of one year or longer immediately prior to the filing of the petition for adoption, without justifiable cause, has significantly failed: (1) To communicate or to make a bona fide attempt to communicate with that child in a meaningful, supportive, parental manner; or (2) To provide for the care and support of that child as required by law or judicial decree. [”] OCGA § 19-8-10 (a) (1) . . . ; 19-8-10 (b).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Dell v. Dell