Pryor v. Pryor’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

21 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 21 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““There is a strong public policy generally in sustaining the finality of judgments and decrees. This policy is of particular importance in regard to decrees divorcing parties a vinculo matrimonii as parties are remarried, have children and create new property interests in reliance upon the finality of such decrees. They must not lightly be -set aside in view of the injurious consequences which would result to innocent persons. Leatherbury v. Leatherbury, 233 Md. 344 , 196 A. 2d 883 (1964). As is well stated in 3 NELSON, DIVORCE AND ANNULMENT, § 28.23, page 167 (1945): “ Tt is essential to the proper functioning of the courts that their adjudications attain unquestionable finality as early as possible after the period of general control of the court has passed. In view of this, the doctrine of laches is frequently invoked to bar the questioning of a divorce decree after any considerable period of time by one who has knowledge thereof but who failed to act with reasonable promptitude.’ ””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Neuman v. Neuman · Wooddy v. Wooddy

2. ““ ‘The very heart of the doctrine of estoppel, through laches, is that the defendant’s alleged change of position for the worse must have been induced by, or resulted from, the conduct, misrepresentation or silence of the plaintiff.’ (Page 136 of 184 Md.; page 379 of 40 A. 2d).” ( 240 Md. at 229-230 , 213 A. 2d at 548 .)”

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