Commonwealth v. Cass’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

47 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 47 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Determining the reasonableness of any search involves a twofold inquiry: first, one must consider "whether the ... action was justified at its inception," Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. at 20, 88 S.Ct. 1868 , 20 L.Ed.2d 889 , 44 Ohio Ops 2d [O.O.2d] 383; second, one must determine whether the search as actually conducted "was reasonably related in scope to the circumstances which justified the interference in the first place," ibid. Under ordinary circumstances, a search of a student by a teacher or other school official will be "justified at its inception" when there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school. Such a search will be permissible in its scope when the measures adopted are reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the infraction.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. In Re DEM · 1999 Pa. Super. 59 - In re D.E.M.

2. “"[A] steady line of case-law has evolved under the Pennsylvania Constitution, making clear that Article I, Section 8 is unshakably linked to a right of privacy in this Commonwealth. See, Commonwealth v. Platou, [ 455 Pa. 258 , 312 A.2d 29 ] (1973); Commonwealth v. DeJohn, [ 486 Pa. 32 , 403 A.2d 1283 ] (1979); Commonwealth v. Sell, [ 504 Pa. 46 , 470 A.2d 457 ] (1983); Commonwealth v. Miller, [ 513 Pa. 118 , 518 A.2d 1187 ] (1986); Commonwealth v. Blystone, [ 519 Pa. 450 , 549 A.2d 81 ] (1988); and Commonwealth v. Melilli, [ 521 Pa. 405 , 555 A.2d 1254 ] (1989)."”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Com. v. JB · Commonwealth v. J.B.

3. “The limits of [a student's] expectation of privacy must be ascertained by considering the reasonable needs of the school to, first and foremost, protect the safety and welfare of all the students, to ensure school discipline and compliance with school regulations, and to maintain school property, which includes the school's lockers. The need to protect all the students, to ensure school discipline, and protect school property, limits the student's expectation of privacy while in the school environment.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. In the Interest of R.H. · In Re RH