Williams v. Williams’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 federal appellate · 1 district · 47 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 49 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Under the issue to be determined, and in connection with the testimony introduced, it was, in our opinion, proper to admit in evidence the declarations of Edward, for the purpose of showing what influenced his conduct in separating from his wife. It is true his mere declarations were not admissible to show what his mother’s conduct was, nor was it, of itself alone, material how bad his mother’s conduct was towards plaintiff; for, no matter how bad her conduct was, she could not properly be held liable in this action unless the effect of her conduct was such as to cause Edward to become estranged from and desert his wife. From the record it clearly appears that the trial court was careful to place the declarations of the husband upon this ground. Thus limited, it was not error to admit proof of his declarations.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Jones v. Jones

2. “"Such injury is a wrong done to the wife as an individual — as a person. The statute does not specify that the wrong shall be a physical or bodily injury. On the contrary, it allows exemplary damages when the injury complained of shall be attended by circumstances of fraud, malice or insult, or a wanton and reckless disregard of the injured party’s rights and feelings.’ These words clearly import wrongs, and injuries other than mere bodily wounds or pecuniary losses. They include as well injuries affecting the mind and sensibilities of the individual, which are often more grievous and painful than mere material injuries.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. McConathy v. Deck

3. ““ Hr. Justice Blackstone, who wrote 150 years ago, gave as a reason for denying the wife’s right of action in cases of this kind the following: ‘The inferior hath no kind of property in the company, care, or assistance of the superior, as the superior is held to have in those of the inferior, and therefore the inferior can suffer no loss or injury.’ 3 Bl. Comm. 142. This language seems strange in the present age, however familiar it may have been during the last century.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Beach v. Brown