Sears v. Sears’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

3 federal appellate · 3 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 7 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““§ 30-101. * * * The following marriages are prohibited in the District of Columbia and shall be absolutely void ab initio, without being so decreed, and their nullity may be shown in any collateral proceedings, namely: ****** “Third. The marriage of any persons either of whom has been previously married and whose previous marriage has not been terminated by death or a decree of divorce.” “§ 30-102. * * * Any of such marriages may also be declared to have been null and void by judicial decree.” “§ 30-103. * * * The following marriages * * * shall be illegal, and shall be void from the time when their nullity shall be declared by decree, namely: [Marriage of a lunatic, marriage consent to which has been obtained by fraud or force, marriage of any person physically incapable of entering the marital state, marriage of an infant.]” “§ 30-104. * * * [Outlining procedure for annulment]. [N]o such proceedings shall be allowed to be instituted by any person who, being fully capable of contracting a marriage, has knowingly and wilfully contracted any marriage declared illegal by the foregoing sections.” [Emphasis supplied.]”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sears v. Sears · Mary Griemsman Sears v. John C. Sears

2. “§ 30-104. * * * [Outlining procedure for annulment]. [N]o such proceedings shall be allowed to be instituted by any person who, being fully capable of contracting a marriage, has knowingly and wilfully contracted any marriage declared illegal by the foregoing sections.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sears v. Sears