Johnson v. Taylor’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 federal appellate · 10 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 11 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““It is a wise and just act; it governs this case, and justifies the court in admitting this deed in evidence. It was registered in 1809, and some of the grantees have been in possession under it ever since. After such a length of time, the law presumes it to have been registered on lawful authority, without regard to the form of certificate of probate or acknowledgment. As a legal presumption it is conclusive that the deed was properly acknowledged, although the contrary may appear on the face of the papers. It is not a ^retrospective law’ under the Constitution of Tennessee, which the Legislature is forbidden to pass. It is prospective, declaring what should thereafter be received in courts as legal evidence of the authenticity of ancient deeds. It makes no exception as to the rights of married women, and the courts can make none. Informalities and 'errors in the acknowledgments of femes covert are those which the carelessness and ignorance of conveyancers were most liable to make, and which most required such curative legislation. The registration being thus validated, copies of such deeds stand on the same-footing with other legally registered deeds, of which copies are made evidence by the law.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Downs v. Blount

2. ““Equities of persons claiming under instruments executed by married women, but not properly acknowledged and certified, have been recognized and protected.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Downs v. Blount