802 So. 2d 281 - Seagrave v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

55 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 58 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “One of the most fundamental tenets of statutory construction requires that we give statutory language its plain and ordinary meaning, unless words are defined in the statute or by the clear intent of the legislature.”

   9 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. Bryant v. Adventist Health Systems Sunbelt, Inc. · 897 So. 2d 1282 - Montgomery v. State

2. “it is a basic principle of statutory construction that courts `are not at liberty to add words to statutes that were not placed there by the Legislature.'”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. LG v. State · Holmes v. State

3. “When necessary, the plain and ordinary meaning of words can be ascertained by reference to a dictionary.”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. Bryant v. Adventist Health Systems Sunbelt, Inc. · 863 So. 2d 201 - Nehme v. Smithkline Beecham Clinical Laboratories, Inc.