Horton v. Cronley’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 5 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “A joint will is a single testamentary instrument constituting or containing the wills of two or more persons, and jointly executed by them as their respective wills. It is not necessarily either mutual or reciprocal. It is, in legal effect, the separate will of each of the persons executing it. The fact that it is executed frby both or all of such persons does not affect its validity or effect as the will of anyone of them. Mutual wills are the separate mils of two or more persons which are reciprocal in their provisions. A joint and mutual will is one instrument executed jointly by two or more persons, the provisions of which are reciprocal. Each will, in one instrument, is a unilateral act, and its execution creates no rights in the legatees or devisees, as the will is ambulatory until the death of the testator. A joint or a mutual will may be revoked by any of the testators in like manner as any other will.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Novick v. Booker

2. ““Before a court of equity will specifically enforce an oral contract to devise property, the proof of the contract must be so cogent, clear and forcible as to leave no reasonable doubt as to its terms and conditions.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Atkinson v. Barr

3. “A conjoint or mutual will is valid, but it may be revoked by any of the testators in like manner with any other will.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Novick v. Booker