Blakely v. Blakely’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

24 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 24 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(1)The parents of the child have filed for a dissolution of their marriage. A grandparent shall have the right to intervene in any dissolution action solely on the issue of visitation rights. Grandparents shall also have the right to file a motion to modify the original decree of dissolution to seek visitation rights when such rights have been denied to them; (2) One parent of the child is deceased and the surviving parent denies reasonable visitation rights; (3) A grandparent is unreasonably denied visitation with the child for a period exceeding 90 days; or (4) The child is adopted by a stepparent, another grandparent or other blood relative.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Clay v. Clay · Suhr v. Okorn

2. “If the natural parents are legally married to each other and are living together with the child, a grandparent may not file for visitation.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. LARRY PFEIFER, Petitioner-Respondent v. BENJAMIN GLENN DEAL · Clay v. Clay

3. “In addition, unlike Washington, Missouri’s legislature has balanced the interests involved and provided that to be entitled to visitation, grandparents must meet the threshold requirement of demonstrating' that ■parents have “unreasonably denied” visitation for a period exceeding 90 days. The fact that no visitation can be ordered unless the parents have entirely denied visitation for a period of 90 days provides the second important distinction between the two statutes. 8”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Massman v. Massman