Bell v. Shaffer’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

14 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 14 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Probate sales, we are sorry to say, are generally viewed with extreme suspicion. Though absolutely essential to the administration of justice, and forming a portion of almost every chain of title, they are too often subjected to tests far more trying than those applied to other judicial sales. Mere irregularities of proceeding have, even after the proceedings had been formally approved by the court, often resulted in the overthrow of the purchaser’s title. In fact, in some courts, the spirit manifested toward probate sales has been scarcely less hostile than that which has made tax sales the most precarious of all the methods of acquiring title.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Crumpacker v. Howes

2. ““While applications for the sale of real estate are nominally adversary proceedings, they are, in fact, in most cases, ex parte, the administrator looking after, or being expected to look after, as well the interests of the widow and heirs as the-rights of creditors.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Ohlfest v. Rosenberg

3. ““and, of course could maintain no action for its recovery, or for partition previous to that event.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Crumpacker v. Howes