4 canonical passages across 3 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 Belcaster v. Miller.
| # | Case | Flag | Canonical passage | Citers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belcaster v. Miller Anchor | green | “an enforcement mechanism whereby a defendant, or the court, can force a recalcitrant plaintiff to push his case to resolution.” | 10 |
| 2 | Benton v. Moore | green | “courts cannot be asked to carry cases on their dockets indefinitely and the rights of the adverse party should also be considered. the defendant should not be left with a lawsuit hanging over his head indefinitely.” | 6 |
| 3 | Lee v. Friedman | green | “however, a lengthy period of inactivity may be enough to justify dismissal under the circumstances of a particular case, especially if the plaintiff has no excuse for the delay.” | 5 |
| 4 | Lee v. Friedman | green | “the weight any particular factor has in a particular case depends on the facts of that case.” | 5 |
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.