140 N.C. App. 369 - Barrett v. Barrett’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

55 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 57 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “alimony is comprised of two separate inquiries. First is a determination of whether a spouse is entitled to alimony.... [T]he second determination is the amount of alimony to be awarded.”

   8 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 195 N.C. App. 325 - Pawlus v. Wise-Pawlus · Almason v. Almason

2. “A "dependent spouse" must be either actually substantially dependent upon the other spouse or substantially in need of maintenance and support from the other spouse.... A party is "actually substantially dependent" upon her spouse if she is currently unable to meet her own maintenance and support. A party is "substantially in need of maintenance and support" if she will be unable to meet her needs in the future, even if she is currently meeting those needs. If the trial court determines that a party's reasonable monthly expenses exceed her monthly income, and that she has no other means with which to meet those expenses, it may properly conclude the party is dependent.”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Almason v. Almason · 168 N.C. App. 240 - Inman v. Inman

3. “[a] spouse is entitled to attorney's fees if that spouse is (1) the dependent spouse, (2) entitled to the underlying relief demanded (e.g., alimony and/or child support), and (3) without sufficient means to defray the costs of litigation.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 165 N.C. App. 390 - Larkin v. Larkin · Parsons v. Parsons