Gordon v. Gordon’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. “"As early as 1864 it was established by Chaires v. Chaires [ Chaires v. Chaires, 10 Fla. 308 (1864).] that there was no need for alimony if the wife has a separate estate adequate for her comfortable support. In referring to that case Mr. Justice Roberts speaking for our Supreme Court stated: [ Kahn v. Kahn, 78 So.2d 367, 368 (Fla. 1955).] "`Ordinarily, however, in those days the husband was the "only hope of support" of an "unfortunate wife, who may have been abandoned by a dissolute husband and doomed to drag out a weary existence in married widowhood. * * *" Chaires v. Chaires, supra. And, indeed, until recent years, a divorced wife had little prospect of being able to work and earn a livelihood, and it was essential to a well-ordered society that she be appropriately maintained by her estranged husband so that she would not become a charge on the community. Times have now changed. The broad, practically unlimited opportunities for women in the business world of today are a matter of common knowledge. Thus, in an era where the opportunities for self-support by the wife are so abundant, the fact that the marriage has been brought to an end because of the fault of the husband does not necessarily entitle the wife to be forever supported by a former husband who has little, if any, more economic advantages than she has. We do not construe the marriage status, once achieved, as conferring on the former wife of a shipwrecked marriage the right to live a life of veritable ease wi”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 334 So. 2d 300 - Denny v. Denny

2. “As early as 1864 it was established by Chaires v. Chaires [ Chaires v. Chaires, 10 Fla. 308 (1864).] that there was no need for alimony if the wife has a separate estate adequate for her comfortable support. In referring to that case Mr. Justice Roberts speaking for our Supreme Court stated: [ Kahn v. Kahn, 78 So.2d 367, 368 (Fla. 1955).]”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 334 So. 2d 300 - Denny v. Denny

3. “the value of the parties' estates, the parties' earning ability, age, health, station in life, duration of marriage, conduct of the parties, prior marriages, and relative responsibilities as to other dependents who have claims on the husband for sustenance or education.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 335 So. 2d 321 - Gordon v. Gordon