Thomas v. Stewart’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

10 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 10 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “There is a controversy as to whether the lights on the Ford truck were burning. We do not believe that any importance attaches to this fact, for the reason that whether or not his lights were burning, Vernon Thomas had a perfect right to assume that no one would run head on with him while he was traveling well to his right. * * * Under our findings of fact we conclude that this accident was caused solely by the negligence of the defendant in driving his bus, under the weather conditions then prevailing, in his left lane of travel, or a greater portion thereof, * * *. The trial judge found, in his reasons for judgment, that Vernon Thomas was guilty of contributory negligence in driving the Ford truck without lights. The driving without lights is seriously disputed. However, admitting that Vernon Thomas was driving without lights, the evidence conclusively shows that he was driving well in his lane of travel, his right wheels being as close to the ditch as possible. He had the right to assume that no one would violate the rules of travel and that he was safe in proceeding forward on that assumption. We do not find any act of negligence on his part which contributed to the accident. (Id. at 605-606).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 208 So. 2d 761 - Lewis v. Brogdon