171 W. Va. 463 - Hatfield v. Hatfield’s Empirical Analysis
1983
Citation profile
6
cited by 6 later decisions
1
states following
July 1991
most recently cited
6 state decisions
Relationships
Relies on 153 W. Va. 404 - State Ex Rel. Kiger v. Hancock · 158 W. Va. 343 - Hammack v. Wise · 165 W. Va. 636 - Leach v. Bright
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 6 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“A parent has the natural right to the custody of his or her infant child and, unless the parent is an unfit person because of misconduct, neglect, immorality, abandonment or other dereliction of duty, or has waived such right, or by agreement or otherwise has transferred, relinquished or surrendered such custody, the right of the parent to the custody of his or her infant child will be recognized and enforced by the courts.”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.