Brewer v. Dodge’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 federal appellate · 9 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 13 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““It appears from complainant’s own showing that in June, 1870, he conveyed the premises in dispute to one Charles E. Ritson. Ritson never made himself a party to the suit. By that conveyance complainant ceased to have any further interest in the controversy. If any one was injuriously affected by any subsequent proceedings, it was Ritson, and not complainant. It was no concern of his, after he had sold out all his interest. A court of equity must have the real parties before it, and will not permit a party who has voluntarily divested himself of any claim on his own behalf to continue litigating. As soon as a complainant assigns his rights, the suit as to him ceases, and becomes as defective for want of a complainant as if it had abated by his death. It can only be restored to activity by bringing the rights of the assignee before the court. Webster v. Hitchcock, 11 Mich. 56 ; Perkins v. Perkins, 16 Mich. 162 . The complainant, therefore, was a mere interloper, after the date of his deed, and has no right to complain that his bill was dismissed. He had put himself out of court so far as any rights were concerned. The controversy was no longer his controversy, and the right to pursue it had been terminated as to him by his own act. He could not proceed alone, except for his sole grievances. Whether the decree would have been right or Wrong if he had retained his interest, it was unquestionably right to dismiss the bill when the complainant had no interest. He was in the same p”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Pittsburgh, S. & N. R. v. Fiske