7 canonical passages across 7 cases, quoted by 26 opinions in total. These passages cluster together because the same opinions keep quoting them side by side — they state parts of one doctrine. The anchor passage is from M'culloch v. State of Maryland.
| # | Case | Flag | Canonical passage | Citers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M'culloch v. State of Maryland Anchor | green | “let the end be legitimate, let it be within the scope of the constitution, and all means which are appropriate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are not prohibited, but consist with the letter and spirit of the constitution, are constitutional.” | 6 |
| 2 | Immigration & Naturalization Service v. Chadha | green | “congress has plenary authority in all cases in which it has substantive legislative jurisdiction, so long as the exercise of that authority does not offend some other constitutional restriction.” | 4 |
| 3 | City of Boerne v. Flores | red | “congress does not enforce a constitutional right by changing what that right is.” | 4 |
| 4 | Alaska Airlines, Inc. v. Brock | green | “a court should refrain from invalidating more of the statute than is necessary.” | 3 |
| 5 | Martini, Elizabeth v. Fed Natl Mtge Assn | green | “he eeoc's power to authorize private suits within 180 days undermines its express statutory duty to investigate every charge filed, as well as congress's unambiguous policy of encouraging informal resolution of charges up to the 180th day.” | 3 |
| 6 | In Re Young | green | “e can conceive of no argument to support the contention that congress is incapable of amending the legislation that it has passed.” | 3 |
| 7 | People of Guam v. Benny Toves Guerrero | green | “certainly congress can provide more individual liberties in the federal realm than the constitution requires without violating vital separation of powers principles.” | 3 |
A red or yellow flag on a member means the underlying case has negative treatment — for those, check the case page before relying on the passage.