State v. Whitner’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

39 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 39 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “questions of law, which are subject to de novo review and which we are free to decide without any deference to the court below.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. S.C. Dep't of Soc. Servs. v. Boulware · State v. Alexander

2. “Absent an ambiguity, the court will look to the plain meaning of the words used to determine their effect.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Gilliland · State v. Alexander

3. “An abuse of discretion occurs when the trial court's ruling is based on an error of law or, when grounded in factual conclusions, is without evidentiary support.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Lawson