Layne v. Henderson’s Empirical Analysis
1986
Citation profile
23 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 29 later decisions — most recently August 2017 · most notably Lake of the Woods Ass'n, Inc. v. McHugh (1989), Southerland v. Estate of Southerland (1995)
23 state decisions
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Relies on Ryland Group, Inc. v. Wills · Skeen v. Clinchfield Coal Corp. · United Virginia Bank v. Union Oil Co. of California · J. Maury Dove Co. v. New River Coal Co. · Goodson v. Capehart
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.
“Even though the broad question in this appeal is whether the contract violates the rule against perpetuities, the specific issue to be addressed involves the meaning and effect of the phrase “survivor or survivors,” within the context of this agreement. Therefore, resolution of this controversy principally requires interpretation of a contract... upon such examination, we hold that, in this contract, the words, “survivor or survivors” refer to the three brothers, not their estates, successors, or assigns.... Significantly, the language of this document limits the phrase “survivor or survivors” to “either of them.” And, “them” can only mean the brothers. We also hold that the proper construction of the words as used in the agreement requires exercise of the option within the lifetime of the brothers. The whole tenor of the agreement demonstrates an intention to ensure that the brothers retain exclusive ownership of the subject property....”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majoritye.g. Johnson v. Ferris
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.