17 Va. App. 427 - MacNelly v. MacNelly’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

27 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 27 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Upon the death or remarriage of the spouse receiving support, spousal support shall terminate unless otherwise provided by stipulation or contract.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 27 Va. App. 365 - Langley v. Johnson · 36 Va. App. 248 - Rubio v. Rubio

2. “The husband agrees to pay wife for her support and maintenance SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($7,000) in cash per month; the first payment is to be made on the first of February 1989, and the payments shall continue on the first day of each and every month thereafter until the first day of February 1996, at which time support and maintenance to the wife shall cease with that last payment. These sums are taxable as income to the wife and deductible by the husband. In the event that the husband or wife dies before February 1, 1996, then the obligation for support and maintenance by the husband to the wife shall cease.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 27 Va. App. 365 - Langley v. Johnson

3. “[S]pousal support provided for in an agreement terminates upon the remarriage or death of the person to whom the support is payable, unless the agreement expressly provides for its continuation. [The language of Code §§ 20-109 and 20-109.1] contemplates an expressed, not implied, provision that support shall not terminate upon death or remarriage. By resolving ambiguity, Code § 20-109 reduces litigation. To permit its mandate to be overcome by implication would introduce ambiguity, encourage litigation and, thereby, undermine the statute’s purpose.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 27 Va. App. 365 - Langley v. Johnson