Sweat v. Sweat’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

20 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[a] just and equitable distribution is as likely as not to be unequal.”

   6 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Keller v. Keller · Zaloudek v. Zaloudek

2. “An abuse of discretion occurs when the property disposition shocks the conscience of this court and appears to be so unfair and inequitable that reasonable people cannot abide it.”

   5 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Susan Lynn Kummerfeld v. John Gary Kummerfeld · Rosendahl v. Rosendahl

3. “In granting a divorce, the court shall make such disposition of the property of the parties as appears just and equitable, having regard for the respective merits of the parties and the condition in which they will be left by the divorce, the party through whom the property was acquired and the burdens imposed upon the property for the benefit of either party and children. The court may decree to either party reasonable alimony out of the estate of the other having regard for the other's ability to pay and may order so much of the other's real estate or the rents and profits thereof as is necessary be assigned and set out to either party for life, or may decree a specific sum be paid by either party.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Rosendahl v. Rosendahl · Cynthia Jill Guy-Thomas