Hanley v. Gandy’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

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

1. ““The most satisfactory testimony of handwriting, where the party alleged to have executed the-instrument is incompetent to testify is a witness who saw the instrument executed and is able to identify it. The next best testimony is that of witnesses who have seen the party, whose writing is in controversy, write, or have had access to or possession of his writings, so as to impress the character of the writing upon the mind, and are enabled to form an opinion by comparing the impression of the writing on their minds with that which may be submitted for their examination; and, while a comparison is made of the impression on the mind with the paper submitted for examination, it is clear that this is not such a comparison as is referred to when it has been held that it was not competent to prove handwritng by comparison.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Texas State Bank of Ft. Worth v. Scott

2. ““I come therefore to the conclusion, as a circumstance in aid of doubtful proof, comparison of handwriting is admissible, but, per se, is so feeble as to be unsafe to act upon; and that, in the absence of any other proof, it would be inadmissible.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Joffre v. Mynatt