344 Pa. Super. 269 - Commonwealth v. Sterling’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

25 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 25 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““A law is void on its face if it is so vague that persons of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application. . . . In reviewing a void for vagueness challenge, we must consider both the essential fairness of the law and the impracticability of drafting the legislation with greater specificity.... Further, we note the strong presumption of constitutionality ... of an act of the general assembly. . . . Legislation will not be declared unconstitutional unless it clearly, palpably, and plainly violates the constitution and a mere showing of difficulty in determining whether conduct is within that definition will not suffice to meet this heavy burden.” Commonwealth v. Sterling, 344 Pa. Super. 269, 275-76 , 496 A.2d 789, 792 (1985).”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Commonwealth v. Allen · 380 Pa. Super. 78 - Commonwealth v. Sanders

2. “—As used in this section ‘firearm’ means any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or the expansion of gas therein.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 353 Pa. Super. 312 - Commonwealth v. Williams · 378 Pa. Super. 59 - Commonwealth v. Melvin