Conner v. Brown’s Empirical Analysis
1938
Citation profile
28 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 33 later decisions — most recently March 1991 · most notably Krischbaum v. Dillon (1991), In the Matter of Levering (1970)
28 state decisions
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 Wilcoxon v. Wilcoxon · 23 Del. Ch. 215 - Missouri-Kansas Pipe Line Co. v. Warrick · Cowan v. Walker · Rodney v. Burton · 23 Del. Ch. 199 - Eastern Shore Public Service Co. v. Town of Seaford
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 33 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
““The essentials of undue influence are a susceptible testator, opportunity to exert influence, a disposition so to do for an improper purpose, the actual exertion of such influence, and the result demonstrating its effect.” Id. at 71; 25 Am. Jur.2d Duress and Undue Influence, § 36.”
5 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority“A will adjudged to be void on the ground of undue influence, which is a species of fraud, can have no effect as a revocation of a prior will, ...; and it being admitted that the first will was the true will of the testatrix, and it appearing from the proof that the entire estate of the testatrix was disposed of and that the caveator received nothing thereunder, it is impossible to see upon what theory the caveator had any standing before the Register to resist the probate or here to prosecute an appeal. ... Being a mere volunteer and having no right to contest the probate of the will, it is clear that the costs must be taxed against him, and that no allowance can be made for his expenses or counsel fees.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majoritye.g. Ableman v. Katz“... [T]he fact that the proponent of a will had an opportunity, at the date of its execution, to exercise undue influence, raises no presumption that he did so; nor does the mere existence of confidential relations between the testator and beneficiary; nor the alteration of an existing will arbitrarily and without reason; nor the mere fact that a testator disposes of his property unequally, or in a manner which may seem unreasonable; for a testator having capacity, and acting freely, may dispose of his property as he sees fit.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majoritye.g. In Re Estate of West
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.