In Re Abby D.’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The parent has abandoned or deserted the child. A lack of communication or contact with the child for at least a six (6) month period shall constitute pri-ma facie evidence of abandonment or desertion. In the event that parents of an infant have had no contact or communication with the infant for a period of six (6) months the department shall file a petition pursuant to this section and the family court shall conduct expedited hearings on the petition.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. In Re David L.

2. “When interpreting a statute, our ultimate goal is to give effect to the General Assembly's intent. * * * The best evidence of such intent can be found in the plain language used in the statute. Thus, a clear and unambiguous statute will be literally construed.”

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

3. “when the petitioners are one of the natural parents of the child and his or her spouse * * * and the child is residing, at the time the petition is filed, with the petitioners * * The purpose of this statute is to permit a stepparent to jointly”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. In re Livia B.L.