Application of Smith’s Empirical Analysis
1992
Citation profile
8
cited by 8 later decisions
1
states following
August 2017
most recently cited
8 state decisions
Relationships
Relies on Gorham v. Gorham · Rice v. Rice · Application of Grover · Currin v. Chadwick
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 8 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“The controlling language of 10 O.S. § 21.1 is the phrase `... according to the best interests of the child ...' when determining custody, not the order of preference. The trial court has wide latitude in determining the best interests of the child in ... proceedings for adoption. (Citation omitted.) Each case must be decided on its own merits.... Where the custody of a minor child is an issue between two parties and neither one is a natural parent, the issue is not to be decided upon the statutory order of preference alone in the event both contesting parties are deemed to be fit and proper custodial parties.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.