Hale v. Peddle’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 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 1 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “After defendant was found liable for $2,000 in small claims court, he failed to pay the amount awarded. Following a financial disclosure hearing pursuant to 12 V.S.A. § 5537 and D.C.C.R. 80.3(m), the small claims court found defendant had the ability to pay and ordered him to do so. He again refused to pay, and, after a show cause hearing, the court held him in contempt for refusal to pay. Sanctions were withheld while plaintiff pursued a writ of execution, but the writ was not served. At a second show cause hearing, the com't found “incredible” defendant’s claim that he was impecunious. Instead, it found that defendant had willfully dissipated or hidden his liquid assets and structured his financial affairs to make himself appear judgment proof. It concluded that defendant “has had and continues to have, the ability to pay this judgment, but has willfully refused to do so,” and further stated that withholding sanctions pending a writ of execution would be a “futile gesture given the circumstances of this case.” The court found defendant in contempt of court and ordered him imprisoned unless he paid the judgment or filed a proposed payment plan. Instead, he appealed to the superior court, which upheld the small claims court’s decision. He then appealed to this Court. The small claims court characterized as “contumacious conduct” defendant’s “statement of refusal [to pay] ... given in open court, under oath and in direct response to the court’s inquiry.” Although the court has”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. In Re the Protection of the Property of Adam