Spalding v. Spalding’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

16 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 17 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Alimony in gross, or ‘lump sum alimony,’ is fundamentally the award of a definite sum of money; and if the sum is payable in installments, the payments run for a definite length of time. The sum is payable in full, regardless of future events such as the death of the husband or the remarriage of the wife. Gross alimony becomes a vested right from the date of the rendition of the judgment, and the manner of its payment in no wise affects its nature or effect. The fact that the award is payable in installments is not determinative of the question whether it is gross alimony or periodic alimony.””

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. McKee v. McKee · Phillips v. Webster

2. ““[a]nd the payment shall continue in that amount until the entire amount mentioned above has been paid.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Spalding v. Davis · Oman v. Commissioner

3. ““Clearly, if the alimony awarded respondent is periodic alimony, the trial court may modify the award, T.C.A. § 36-820; see Zeitlin v. Zeitlin, 544 S.W.2d 103, 109 (Tenn.App.1976); however, if the alimony awarded is in solido, the trial court cannot modify the award after the expiration of thirty days. See Bauer v. Bauer, 184 Tenn. 217 , 197 S.W.2d 892 (1946); Pendergrass v. Pendergrass, 56 Tenn.App. 227 , 405 S.W.2d 666 (1966).””

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