Powers v. Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway Co.’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 federal appellate · 4 district · 13 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 48 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Surely no clearer case of contract cun be presented Ilian one in which a Legislature passes an act in respect, to a particular corporation making special provision concerning taxation, and does so with a view of inducing large expenditures by the corporation and the completion of an unfinished road, whose completion is deemed of great importance, and where (he special provision is. as required, formally accepted, the expenditure made, and the road completed.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. St. Louis & S. F. R. v. Cross · People ex rel. Attorney General v. Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway Co.

2. ““It has been often decided by this court, so often that a citation of authorities is unnecessary, that the Legislature of a state may, in the absence of special restrictions in its Constitution, make a valid contract with a corporation in respect to taxation, and that such contract can be enforced against the state at the instance of the corporation. It is said that we are not concluded by a decision of the Supreme Court of a state in reference to the matter of contract; that, while the rule is to accept the construction placed by that court upon its statutes, an exception is made in case of contracts; and that we exercise an independent judgment upon the question whether a contract was made, what its scope and terms are, and also whether there has been any law passed impairing its obligation. Douglas v. Kentucky, 168 U. S. 488 , 18 Sup. Ct. 199 , 42 L. Ed. 533 . It is in order to uphold the provision of the federal Constitution that no state shall pass a law impairing the obligation of a contract that this duty of independent judgment is cast upon this court. But here the Supreme Court of the state has ruled in favor of the continued existence of a corporation and the applicability of certain statutes, and when upon the face of such statutes a valid contract appears we accept the ruling that the statutes are valid and applicable enactments. In other words, the Supreme Court of the state having sustained the validity of a statute from which a contract is claimed, this court f”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Sunset Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. City of Pomona

3. ““There Is no necessity of looking for the consideration for a legislative contract, outside of the objects for which the; corporation was created. These objects were deemed by the Legislature to be beneficial to the community, and litis benefit constitutes the consideration for the contract, and no other is required to support it. * * * We are of the opinion that the state of Missouri did make a contract on sufficient consideration with the Home of the. Friendless, lo exempt The properly of the corporation from taxation, and that the attempt made on behalf of the state through its authorized agent, notwithstanding this agreement lo compel it to pay taxes, is an indirect mode of impairing the obligation of the contract, and cannot be allowed.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. St. Louis & S. F. R. v. Cross