Askey v. Williams’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

51 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 55 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “‘ ‘ The contracts of an infant for necessaries are neither void nor voidable, and we are of opinion that the services of an attorney should be held necessary to an infant, where he is charged by an indictment with crime. His life or his liberty and reputation are at stake, and it would be unreasonable to deny him the power to secure the means of defending himself. He may contract for food and raiment suitable to his condition in life, though they be such as are not demanded by his absolute wants, and it is not to be questioned that the immunity from punishment and disgrace is a matter of far more importance to his welfare. It has accordingly been held that reasonable attorney’s fees in defense of a criminal action brought against an infant are necessaries. Barker v. Hibbard, 54 N. H. 539 [ 20 Am. Rep. 160 ], See, also, Munson v. Washband, 31 Conn. 303 [ 83 Am. Dec. 151 ], It follows that by his contract Lightfoot was bound to pay plaintiff the reasonable value of his services. ’ ’”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Johnson v. Newberry · Dorris v. Crowder