Sweeney v. McLeod’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

5 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 5 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Such contracts as the one sued on are always • closely and rigidly scrutinized by the courts when sought to be enforced. Nothing wrong may have been intended in this particular case, nor was it necessary. If the terms of the contract required any services to be rendered, or if the party employed in furtherance of the general purposes of his employment rendered or designed to render any services, either to cause or to prevent any legislative action otherwise than by publicly presenting the subject before the legislature or some of its committees, such contract cannot be enforced in this state. ”'”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Hyland v. Oregon Hassam Paving Co.

2. ““That if it was the understanding between the plaintiff and defendants that plaintiff should attend at the session of the legislature, and there privately importune, converse with, and persuade members of the legislature in the interests of the defendants, against any measures pending before the legislature, - antagonistic to the taking of salmon fish, by means of fish wheels, he cannot recover.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Herrick v. Barzee

3. ““It matters not that nothing improper was done or expected to be done by the plaintiff. It is enough that such is the tendency of the contract that it is contrary to sound morality and public policy, leading necessarily, in the hands of designing and corrupt men, to the use of an extraneous, secret influence over an important branch of the government.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Herrick v. Barzee