Cruthis v. Steele’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

22 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 22 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “A distinction seems to exist, however, between deeds which are absolutely void because of an inherent and enduring illegality and those which are “invalid” in the sense that some defect renders them inoperative as deeds. A deed which is invalid in the sense that it is inoperative may nevertheless under some circumstances be held operative as a contract, and, where the invalidity arose from an inability under the law to convey in the attempted capacity, may be held to estop the grantor from setting up an after-acquired title to the premises that were previously attempted to be conveyed.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 35 N.C. App. 506 - Meachem v. Boyce

2. “The purported deed is a contract to convey, and while the husband is alive the obligation of the contract can be enforced only by an action for damages — the reason being that the court cannot require specific performance because it cannot compel the husband to give his written assent. After the death of the husband the obstacle to specific performance is removed, and equity will declare the contract effective as a deed under the maxim “equity regards as done that which ought to be done.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 35 N.C. App. 506 - Meachem v. Boyce