83 Ark. App. 135 - Walker v. Torres’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

30 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 30 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The standard of appellate review governing custody modifications is well settled. In child-custody cases, the primary consideration is the welfare and best interests of the child involved; all other considerations are secondary. Custody will not be modified unless it is shown that there are changed conditions demonstrating that a modification is in the best interest of the child. In cases involving child custody and related matters, we review the case de novo, but we •will not reverse a trial judge’s findings in this regard unless they are clearly erroneous. Although there is evidence to support it, a finding is clearly erroneous when the reviewing court is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made. Because the question of whether the trial court’s findings are clearly erroneous turns largely on the credibility of the witnesses, we give special deference to the superior position of the trial judge to evaluate the witnesses, their testimony, and the child’s best interests.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2012 Ark. App. 373 - Metz v. Steele