The Mayor Aldermen v. The United States’s Empirical Analysis
35 U.S. 662 · 1836
Citation profile
30 federal appellate · 12 district · 74 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 211 later decisions (37 by the Supreme Court) — most recently May 2018 · most notably Block v. North Dakota Board of University and School Lands North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (1983), Utah Power Light Company v. United States No 202 United States (1917)
30 federal appellate · 12 district · 74 state decisions — followed in 28 states
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Relies on The United States v. Don Fernando De La Maza Arredondo · The President Recorder and Trustees of the City of Cincinnati v. The Lessee of Edward White · Barclay v. Richard W. Howell's Lessee · Mayor of New Orleans v. De Armas
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 211 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
““The question is well settled at common law that the person whose land is bounded by a stream of water which changes its course gradually by alluvial formations shall still hold by the same boundary, including the accumulated soil. No other rule can be applied on just principles. Every proprietor whose land is thus bounded is subject to loss by the same means which may add to his territory; and, as he is without remedy for his loss in this way, he cannot be held accountable for his gain. ’ ’ ■”
4 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority“The government of the United States ... is one of limited powers. It can exercise authority over no subjects, except those which have been delegated to it. Congress cannot, by legislation, enlarge the federal jurisdiction, nor can it be enlarged under the treaty-making power”
4 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority“It would be a dangerous doctrine to consider the issuing of a grant as conclusive evidence of right in the power which issued it. On its face it is conclusive, and cannot be controverted; but if the thing granted was not in the grantor, no right .passes to the grantee. A grant has been frequently issued by the United States for land which had been previously granted, and the second grant has been held to be inoperative.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majoritye.g. Wright v. Roseberry
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.