Rasmussen v. Baker’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

225 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 225 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The 14th question is ‘What judgment should be rendered in this action?’ The statute authorizes questions, not cases, to be certified to this court for its decision. It may be said, not improperly perhaps, that the case is certified for the decision of the supreme court upon certain important and difficult questions, but in the strict sense, the case itself is not brought before us for determination. It is here temporarily, awaiting a decision upon the reserved questions. The papers must be here to disclose the fact that the reserved questions are actually involved. In our opinion, the 14th question is not a proper one for reservation. ’ ’”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Berry

2. ““* * * [A]ny provision which excludes any class of citizens from the exercise of the elective franchise ought to receive a strict construction, without, however, doing violence to or distorting the language, to the end that none shall be held excluded who are not clearly designated. ” (Emphasis added.)”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Mills v. Campbell County Canvassing Board

3. “If the words convey a definite meaning, which involves no absurdity or contradiction with other parts of the instrument, then that meaning apparent on the face of the instrument is the one which alone we are at liberty to say was intended to be conveyed. ...”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Escarcega v. State ex rel. Wyoming Department of Transportation