The Wanderer’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

7 federal appellate ·

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

1. ““The case made by the libel is an action by a seaman to recover his wages. The libelant had. made a contract of service for one year. He performed part of the contract, and was ready and willing to perform the residue, but was'prevented by the master of the vessel, who discharged him without cause. He sues to recover the balance due on his salary for the year. If he performed his duty while in the service of the vessel, and was ready and willing to perform it for the residue Of his engagement, and was discharged without due cause, and was unjustifiably “prevented from completing his contract, his rights are the same as if he had completed it. He is entitled to his wages for the whole year, and was entitled to sue for them on his discharge. He has been paid a part of his wages and sues for the balance. In the ease of a contract for an ordinary seaman’s wages, the lien should not, perhaps, be extended beyond a single voyage, as that is the usual time for which his engagement is made. But the case of a purser stands somewhat on a different footing. 1-Iis connection with the vessel is generally more permanent than that of a common seaman. He represents to some extent the owners, and his qualifications are of such a character that a competent purser cannot usually be employed for a single trip. We therefore do not think an engagement of a purser for a year an unreasonable one, and such an engagement we think would be binding on the boat.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Russell v. The Mary Elizabeth