Townsend v. Barlow’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

21 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 21 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[T]he plain and unmistakable terms of the writing [cannot] be varied by construction so as to import an exception into a general release of lien.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Calabrese Development Corp. v. Carpinella, No. 90341 (Jun. 16, 1992) · 1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5981 - Red Rooster Constr. Co. v. River Assoc., No. 29 06 33 (Jul. 2, 1991)

2. “Though in terms purporting to affect only the mutual rights of the lienor and owner, it is intended for the information and security of third persons, who may be induced thereby to loan money to the owner of the premises on the lienor's assurance that his statutory incumbrance has been released; and the real consideration which moves the lienor to release his incumbrance is the expectation that his employer will be put in funds out of which he hopes to be paid in whole or in part.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5981 - Red Rooster Constr. Co. v. River Assoc., No. 29 06 33 (Jul. 2, 1991)

3. “[T]he term `waiver of mechanic's lien' has by long usage become descriptive of a writing having the purpose and effect of releasing, according to its terms, the statutory right to a mechanic's lien.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 1991 Conn. Super. Ct. 5981 - Red Rooster Constr. Co. v. River Assoc., No. 29 06 33 (Jul. 2, 1991)