3 canonical passages across 3 cases, quoted by 9 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 Kitterman v. Coventry Health Care of Iowa, Inc..
| # | Case | Flag | Canonical passage | Citers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kitterman v. Coventry Health Care of Iowa, Inc. Anchor | green | “by giving the language its common and ordinary meaning as a reasonable person in the position of the plan participant, not the actual participant, would have understood the words to mean” | 3 |
| 2 | William J. Welsh, Appellee/cross-Appellant v. Burlington Northern, Inc., Employee Benefits Plan, Appellant/cross-Appellee | green | “therefore, although there is no presumption in favor of attorney fees in an erisa action, a prevailing plaintiff rarely fails to receive fees.” | 3 |
| 3 | Gary Starr v. Metro Systems, Inc. | green | “apply its discretion consistent with the purposes of erisa, those purposes being to protect employee rights and to secure effective access to federal courts.” | 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.