People v. Edwards’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

23 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 23 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““ Questions involving the same principles as those under discussion were decided in People v. Hammond, supra. Under the act of April 1, 1878, the respondent in that case, and two others, were appointed by certain district court judges named in the act police commissioners for the city and county of San Francisco. By the constitution of 1879 the judges of the court named were superseded, but the powers given to them by the apt referred to were not vested in any other person or tribunal. It was claimed by the relator in that case, as it is by the relator here, that under section 8, article V, and section 16, article XX, of the constitution, the office became vacant at the expiration of four years from the date of the defendant’s appointment, and that the governor had the power to fill such vacancy. These contentions did not receive the sanction of the court; it was held that there was no vacancy which the governor was authorized to fill. Unless that case is to be overthrown, it is an authoritative adjudication against the claim of the relator herein, and entitles the defendant to hold the office until his successor has been appointed or elected, and has qualified, or until the office has been abolished by the power which created it. It would be sufficient to rest the decision herein upon a reference to that and other cases involving similar questions. - ... It is claimed that section 16 of article XX of the constitution makes it unlawful to occupy an office created by the legis”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. People ex rel. Menzies v. Gunst