Bates v. Keith’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

5 federal appellate ·

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

1. ““Guides used in connection with sewing machines, and for innumerable other purposes, have been so common in the arts, and have been used from time immemorial for so many purposes, that it would be an' unreasonable state of the law which would deny as a common right to every artisan and manufacturer freedom to procure or frame guides suited for his art, or for his particular subdivision of any art. In this respect it is impossible to draw any essential distinction between the common right and privilege of every person to adapt guides to his own peculiar necessities and the like right to shape gouges or plane irons, or combine them of different shapes, according to the changing necessities or desires of carpentry, or to devise, subdivide, or change the form of boxes, or other packing eases, according to the necessities of each particular trade.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. United States Peg-Wood, Shank & Leather Board Co. v. B. F. Sturtevant Co.