Hunt v. Atkinson’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

18 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 19 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The rule itself [forbidding collateral attack on existing corporations] is well recognized and rests upon the soundest public policy. But an examination of the numerous cases supporting it will show that it applies only in those instances where the corporation attacked is at least a de facto corporation by virtue of an attempted organization under “color of law” .... Before an attempted organization can be said to be under “color of law”, there must have been a good faith attempt to organize in the method prescribed by existing law, and at least a colorable compliance with that law.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. City of Granite Shoals v. Winder

2. ““Cities having more than five thousand (5000) inhabitants may, by a majority vote of the qualified voters of said city, at an election held for that purpose, adopt or amend their charters, subject to such limitations as may be prescribed by the Legislature, and providing that no charter or any ordinance passed under said charter shall contain any provision inconsistent with the Constitution of the State, or of the general laws enacted by the Legislature of this State.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Willman v. City of Corsicana