Hodges v. Rainey’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

364 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 370 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Where the statute's language is plain and unambiguous, and conveys a clear and definite meaning, the rules of statutory interpretation are not needed and the court has no right to impose another meaning.”

   10 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. S.C. Dep't of Soc. Servs. v. Boulware · Lightner v. Hampton Hall Club, Inc.

2. “What a legislature says in the text of a statute is considered the best evidence of the legislative intent or will. Therefore, the courts are bound to give effect to the expressed intent of the legislature.”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. S.C. Dep't of Soc. Servs. v. Boulware · Proctor v. Whitlark & Whitlark, Inc.

3. “The cardinal rule of statutory construction is to ascertain and effectuate the intent of the legislature.”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. S.C. Dep't of Soc. Servs. v. Boulware · In re Jairus J. V.