Retzer v. Wood’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

36 federal appellate · 7 district · 7 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 68 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““ We are of the opinion that the plaintiff was not liable to this tax, because he did not carry on or do an ‘express business,’ within the meaning of the statute. Although he carried goods between NTew York and Brooklyn, and from one place to another in either city, he did so solely on call and at special reguest, lie did not run regular trips, or over regular routes or ferries. He was no more than a drayman or truckman, doing a job when ordered. The fact that he had a place in Brooklyn where orders could be left on a slate made no difference. The words ‘ express business,’ in the statute, must have the meaning given them in the common acceptation. An ‘ express business’ involves the idea of regularity as to route or time, or both. Such is the definition in the lexicons.” Retzer v. Wood, 109 U. S. 185 , 187, 8 Sup. Ct. Rep. 164 .”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Pacific Exp. Co. v. Seibert

2. ““[t]he record shows that the defendant’s attorney had notice ... that the plaintiff’s claim accrued before a date more than eight years prior to the filing of the plea. Under such circumstances it would not be a fair exercise of discretion not to hold the defendant to his legal status. 109 U.S. 185, 188 , 3 S.Ct. 164, 166 , 27 L.Ed. 900 (1883).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Perlmutter v. Shatzer