Railroad Company v. Tennessee’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

13 federal appellate · 2 district · 30 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 81 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"... The principle is elementary that a State cannot be sued in its own courts without its consent. This is a privilege of sovereignty... ." Railroad Company v. Tennessee, 101 U.S. 337, 339 , 25 L.Ed. 960 (1879).”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. John Aldens v. Maine · Worthington v. State

2. ““When a judgment has been rendered, the liability of the •state has been judicially ascertained, but there the power of the ■court ends. The state is at liberty to determine for itself whether to pay the judgment or not. . . . The courts are powerless. "Everything after the judgment depends on the will of the state.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Wilkinson v. State

3. ““. . . Suits may be brought against the state in such manner and in such courts as the legislature may by law direct.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Worthington v. State