State v. Hart’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

159 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 159 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Before exercising [Appellate] Rule 2 to prevent a manifest injustice, both this Court and the Court of Appeals must be cognizant of the appropriate circumstances in which the extraordinary step of suspending the operation of the appellate rules is a viable option. Fundamental fairness and the predictable operation of the courts for which our Rules of Appellate Procedure were designed depend upon the consistent exercise of this authority.”

   24 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. 248 N.C. App. 92 - State v. Sandy & Supris · 255 N.C. App. 767 - State v. Bishop

2. “To prevent manifest injustice to a party, or to expedite decision in the public interest, either court of the appellate division may, except as otherwise expressly prohibited by these rules, suspend or vary the requirements or provisions of any of these rules in a case pending before it upon application of a party or upon its own initiative, and may order proceedings in accordance with its directions.”

   14 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. 245 N.C. App. 313 - State v. Miller · 243 N.C. App. 142 - State v. Pender

3. “[E]very violation of the rules does not require dismissal of the appeal or the issue, although some other sanction may be appropriate, pursuant to Rule 25(b) or Rule 34 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.”

   5 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 187 N.C. App. 605 - State v. Spencer · 188 N.C. App. 165 - Lawson v. White