Sturdevant v. Sturdevant’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

3 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 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[NINTH] “My Trustees shall have power and authority to do any act or thing reasonably necessary or advisable for the proper administration and distribution of the trusts created by this my Will.... I hereby grant to my Trustees ... full power and authority, during the term of such trusts and for purposes of division and distribution after their termination, in my Trustees’ continuing sole discretion: [[Image here]] [NINTH] “5. To make division or distribution, whenever herein required, in whole or in part in money, securities, or other property and in undivided interests therein, and to continue to hold any such undivided interest in any trust hereunder, and in such division or distribution the judgment of the Trustees concerning the propriety thereof and the valuation of the properties and securities concerned shall be binding and conclusive on all persons in interest. [[Image here]] [TENTH] “D. For the purpose of carrying out this directive, I would urge that when a distributive share is about to be made under the terms of the Residuary Trust, if at all possible such distributive share be made in cash, retaining insofar as possible, the family business intact.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sturdevant v. Sturdevant

2. “1. Whether or not the method adopted by the trustees to determine the value of the trust assets constitutes an abuse of discretion; 2. Whether or not the trustees abused their discretion in refusing to distribute Robert Sturdevant’s share of the residuary trust to him in cash; and 3. Whether or not the trustees abused their discretion by refusing Robert’s offer to purchase all of the trust assets for a fixed amount.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sturdevant v. Sturdevant

3. ““ ‘Where discretion is conferred upon the trustee with respect to the exercise of a power, its exercise is not subject to control by the court, except to prevent an abuse by the trustee of his discretion.’ ” Sturdevant, supra 315 N.W.2d at 267 .”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sturdevant v. Sturdevant