Sheffield v. Barry’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 federal appellate · 2 district · 45 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 51 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “entitled to such rights in the Estate * * * as [she] would have had if her adoption had been legalized according to the requirements of the laws of Florida.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 738 So. 2d 453 - Williams v. Estate of Pender · 426 So. 2d 1203 - In Re Adoption of RAB

2. “"Plaintiff in the chancery court brought her suit against the administrator of the estate and against Cora C. Wittstock, whom Alexander E. Wittstock had married shortly before his death. In order fully to understand the issues, it is well to review the history of the relationship between the plaintiff on one hand and Alexander Edward Wittstock and his first wife, Sarah Wittstock, on the other, as it is detailed in the bill. In 1892, when the plaintiff was only three months of age, Sarah Wittstock requested that she and her husband be permitted to adopt the child as their own. The Wittstocks had no children and the mother was impecunious. Parenthetically, the identity of the father does not appear in the pleadings. In these circumstances, the `mother consented to permit the adoption' and the Wittstocks `promised and agreed with (the mother) * * * to adopt (the child) in consideration of the complete surrender by (the mother) to them.' Relying upon this promise the mother delivered the child to the Wittstocks with the understanding that she was to be their child; that they would adopt her `as their own'; and that the mother was `forever to surrender any and all parental rights' or control over the infant. In furtherance of this agreement the Wittstocks took the plaintiff into their home and gave her the name of Cora Wittstock. She became a member of the family and was at all times a dutiful, loving and well behaved daughter, rendering to her foster parents the same service whic”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Roberts v. Caughell · 965 So. 2d 1157 - In Re Estate of Musil

3. “"If the plaintiff substantiates by evidence the allegations with reference to the execution of the contract, the performance on the part of her mother and herself, the partial performance by her foster parents and the intestacy of her foster father she should be awarded a decree." (Emphasis supplied.)”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Roberts v. Caughell · 738 So. 2d 453 - Williams v. Estate of Pender