James v. Commonwealth’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

11 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 11 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Their chief purpose is' to place the burden of rearing, caring for, and educating the unfortunate infant upon the shoulders of him who is responsible for its existence. If the defendant is in reality the father of the child, for whose benefit the proceedings are provided, the latter is entitled to have its father contribute such a sum as is commensurate with his ability to pay. The state is interested in having its inhabitants reared and educated in such manner as to develop the best citizenship. This duty is primarily imposed upon the parents of children, and if the mother of a ¡bastard child, on account of her poverty, is unable to discharge that duty, the greater reason exists why the father should contribute a sum commensurate with his ability to pay for the purpose of discharging it. Hence it is said in 3 E. C. L. 767: ‘The amount allowable for the maintenance of a bastard child is largely discretionary, depending upon the situation in life of the parties.’ The situation of the parties necessarily includes their financial situation.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Maher v. Commonwealth, for Use of Morgan