Ward v. Ward’s Empirical Analysis
1960
Citation profile
68 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 68 later decisions — most recently March 2021 · most notably Dunbar v. Dunbar (1967), Smith v. Smith (1961)
68 state decisions
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Relies on Mullen v. Mullen · McFadden v. McFadden · Stewart v. Stewart · Grimditch v. Grimditch · 89 Cal. App. 2d 80 - Bemis v. Bemis
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 68 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“"It is clear from the quoted language that the policy of this state is to recognize the rights and duties of both divorced parents in the upbringing of a minor child, and to take into account the fact that the age of the child may substantially affect the nature of those rights and duties. While still in infancy, the child is entitled to its mother's care and devotion." Ward v. Ward, at 137, 353 P.2d at 900 .”
5 later decisions quote this exact passage“"B. As between parents adversely claiming the custody or guardianship, neither parent is entitled to it as of right, but, other things being equal, if the child is of tender years, it shall be given to the mother. If the child is of an age requiring education and preparation for labor or business, then to the father."”
4 later decisions quote this exact passage““* * * The change of circumstances rule as a limitation on modification of a divorce decree is one aspect of the principle of res judicata. [Cases cited.] The court, in issuing the original decree, found that the arrangement, therein set out was for the best interests of the child. No appeal having been taken, this decision became final, upon the facts then before the court, and no alteration will be made without a showing that the factual situation has changed to such an extent that the original decree can no longer reasonably be expected to serve the purpose. * * *””
2 later decisions 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.