Ex parte W.L.K.’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

12 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 13 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"[The father] and S.F. ('the mother') were involved in a relationship between April and July 2012; they lived together in the father's house in Middleburg, Florida, during that period. The mother became pregnant early in the relationship, and she and the father had begun preparing for the baby by purchasing baby items. However, the mother left the father in July 2012, and, after she broke into the father's house and stole several items, the father swore out a warrant against her. The mother was arrested, and, after that, the father lost contact with her. In December 2012, the father, who is in the United States Navy, contacted an attorney in the Judge Advocate General about his situation; that attorney referred the father to a nonmilitary attorney, who assisted the father by instituting a paternity and custody action in a Florida court in January 2013. The father registered with the putative father registry in Florida. The father attempted to locate the mother at nearby hospitals on January 18, 2013, the expected date of delivery. However, the father was unable to locate the mother. "On January 9, 2013, the mother gave birth to [the child] in Montgomery, Alabama. The mother had consented to an adoption of the child by [the prospective adoptive parents], who were present at the birth and who took the child home from the hospital. On January 29, 2013, the prospective adoptive parents filed a petition to adopt the child in the Jefferson Probate Court. "The father first learned o”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. T.C.M. v. W.L.K. · T.C.M. v. W.L.K.

2. ““(d) After hearing evidence at-a contested hearing, the court shall dismiss thé adoption proceeding if the court finds: “(1) That the adoption is not in the best interests of the adoptee. “(2) That a petitioner is not capable of adopting the adoptee. “(3) That a necessary consent cannot be- obtained or is invalid. ' “(4) That a necessary consent may be -withdrawn. Otherwise the court shall deny the motion of the contesting party.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. I.B. v. T.N. · Ex parte W.L.K.

3. “) had not impliedly consented to the adoption of the child. Ultimately, the probate court entered an order dismissing the adoption action. As has been noted,”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the concurrence
   e.g. T.C.M. v. W.L.K.