Schwamble v. Sheriff’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

5 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 7 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““The commissioners have a right, and it is their duty, to manage the financial affairs of the county. They are the guardians of the treasury and no money can be paid out except on their order. All special contracts for and on behalf of the county are made by them. They must see to the collection of the debts due to the county, and provide the ways and means to meet those which it owes. In the performance of these duties they have a wide latitude of discretion. They are not bound to sue a debtor of the county from whom they know that nothing can be recovered; and where a prisoner is detained merely for non-payment of costs, even in a criminal case, they may advance the sum necessary to discharge him if they are satisfied that by doing so money can be saved to the treasury. The last seems like a stretch of power, but it has been sanctioned by the approbation of several eminent judges of this Court, though not by any direct adjudication”.”

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