Brown v. Ellis’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

23 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 27 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[The] plaintiff’s wife and defendant were both employed by the same parent company and worked together on numerous occasions. Plaintiff alleged defendant willfully alienated the affections of plaintiff’s wife by, among other actions, “initiating frequent and inappropriate, and unnecessary telephone and e-mail conversations with [plaintiff’s wife] on an almost daily basis.” The telephone conversations between defendant and plaintiff’s wife “often occurred in the presence of plaintiff and his minor child” and “involved discussions of defendant’s sexual and romantic relationship with plaintiff’s spouse.” Plaintiff alleged that “through numerous telephone calls and e-mails to plaintiff’s spouse, [defendant] has arranged to meet, and has met with plaintiff’s spouse on numerous occasions outside the State of North Carolina, under the pretense of business-related travel.” The complaint further alleged that plaintiff’s wife and defendant committed adultery during these business trips, which further alienated and destroyed the marital relationship between plaintiff and his wife. In support of his complaint, plaintiff submitted an affidavit alleging that “the majority of defendant’s conduct which constitutes an alienation of affections occurred within the jurisdiction of North Carolina” and that “[e]vidence as to the frequent electronic and telephonic contact between defendant and plaintiff’s spouse can be established through records and witnesses located in the State of North Carolina”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 206 N.C. App. 93 - Brown v. Ellis · 221 N.C. App. 79 - Miller v. SZILAGYI

2. “[p]laintiff alleged that he resided in Guilford County with his wife and daughter and that defendant initiated frequent and inappropriate, and unnecessary telephone and e-mail conversations with plaintiff’s wife on an almost daily basis. According to the complaint, defendant and plaintiff’s wife discussed their sexual and romantic relationship in the presence of plaintiff and his minor child. In his supporting affidavit, plaintiff specifically averred that defendant’s alienation of his wife’s affections occurred within the jurisdiction of North Carolina. Although the complaint does not specifically state that plaintiff’s wife was physically located in North Carolina during the telephonic and e-mail communications, that fact is nevertheless apparent from the complaint.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 206 N.C. App. 93 - Brown v. Ellis