State v. McLaughlin’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

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

1. ““It is obvious, that this interference on the part of the state is unnecessary for the protection of any rights. It is not a case where, but for the intervention of the state, an irremediable wrong will be perpetrated. Conceding the bonds to be void, each and every taxpayer has ample protection by an action of in-' junction. . . . It is obvious that the state as a state has no direct interest in this controversy, any more than in a controversy between individuals. The payment of these bonds may be illegal, but their payment works no greater wrong to the state than the payment by a single individual of an illegal debt. The single individual may if he chooses by appealing to the ordinary proceedings of the law protect himself against such illegal payment. So may the many taxpayers. ... As private citizens, unless specially authorized, may not interfere to compel the performance of a mere public duty, or restrain the doing of a mere public wrong, so the state, having no direct interest, may not interfere to protect individuals from the illegal acts of a public officer where such individuals have, in the ordinary course of the law, ample and adequate means of protection.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State Ex Rel. Moses v. Board of County Commissioners