Pierce v. Pierce’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

5 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 5 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““This court will not be part or parcel of setting aside completed adoption proceedings by dissatisfied adopting parents. * * * # # * “. . .it appears to be generally held that an adoption decree will not be vacated or annulled at the instance of an adoptive parent where his motives are purely selfish, or because of pecuniary interest in changing his position. Courts should not allow abrogation of an adoption if it is premised on the desire of adoptive parents to rid themselves of a bad bargain, or because of a mere change in attitude or regret. . . .” “To warrant a finding of undue influence in inducing the adoption of a child, it must appear that the person exercising the influence so far dominated the will of the person upon whom it was exercised as to substitute his will for that of the latter, with the result that the action brought about was not, in reality, that of the person whose act it was in form, but rather, was that of the person exercising the influence. . .”

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

2. ““Courts have generally recognized or at least assumed that an adoption decree may be annulled at the instance of the adopting parent but indicate reluctance to disturb the status of an adopted child unless the vacating of the decree would clearly be for its best interest. 2 A.L.R.2d § 8, p. 903. From the cases collected in the annotation just cited, it appears to be generally held that an adoption decree will not be vacated or annulled at the instance of an adoptive parent where his motives are purely selfish, or because of pecuniary interest in changing his position. Courts should not allow abrogation of an adoption if it is premised on the desire of adoptive parents to rid themselves of a bad bargain, or because of a mere change in attitude or regret.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 8 Kan. App. 2d 772 - In Re the Adoption of Hobson

3. “David filed an independent action attacking the judgment of adoption.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sjls v. Tls