Slater v. Culpepper’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

29 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 29 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““ * * * Federal Government is neither concerned with nor interested in the application and enforcement of State laws respecting succession or inheritance of property. Indeed, it seems manifest that the regulations of the Treasury Department for the payment of savings bonds (relied on by defendant in this case), were designed solely to facilitate the Government, by providing a simple method for the liquidation of these obligations, so that it would not be subjected to the inconvenience and delays attendant to the settlement of conflicting or disputed claims. There was not, in our opinion, any intention to interfere with the enforcement of the laws of descent and distribution of the various States. Therefore, forasmuch as the payment on death clause contained in such bonds must be considered as a valid appendage to our laws respecting the forms for dispositions mortis causa, it appears logical to apply all provisions pertaining to1 testamentary dispositions, except those dealing with forms, in determining rights and liabilities under such a devise.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Succession of Gladney

2. ““If either coowner dies without having presented and surrendered the bond for payment or authorized reissue, the surviving coowner will be recognized as the sole and absolute owner of the bond and payment or reissue, as though the bond, were registered in his name alone, will be made only to such survivor. If the survivor requests reissue, he must present proof of the death of the other coowner. If a coowner dies after he has presented and surrendered the bond for payment, payment of the bond or check if one has been issued will be made to his estate. * * *»”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Succession of Gladney

3. ““Any other conclusion, obviously, would greatly endanger the recognized right of the wife to make a disposition by testament of her vested one-half interest in the community property. Thus, a husband could invest the community funds or property in United States savings bonds of the co-ownership type and, on outliving his wife, would become the sole owner of her interest, subject only to the legal rights of forced heirs if there be any.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 54 Wash. 2d 616 - In Re the Estate of Allen