896 So. 2d 557 - Sosebee v. Sosebee’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

17 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 17 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"The wife's expenditures for the daughter are gratuitous undertakings of the wife that the husband may not be held responsible for through the payment of alimony to offset those expenditures. To allow a trial court to consider expenditures of that nature in fashioning its alimony award would permit, in essence, a trial court to require a parent to pay the living expenses of an adult child in contravention of the law. A parent is not required, absent an express agreement of the parties or other than as permitted under Ex parte Bayliss , 550 So.2d 986 (Ala. 1989), and its progeny or under Ex parte Brewington , 445 So.2d 294 (Ala. 1983) (providing that a parent may be ordered to provide support for an adult disabled child), and its progeny, to pay support to cover the living expenses of an adult child."”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Newsome v. Newsome · 260 So. 3d 55 - Myers v. Myers

2. ““A trial court has the inherent power to interpret and enforce its own judgments. See, e.g., Gild v. Holmes, 680 So.2d 826, 329 (Ala.Civ.App.1996); Grayson v. Grayson, 628 So.2d 918, 919 (Ala.Civ.App.1993). ‘Judgments ... are to be construed like other written instruments .... The legal effect must be declared in light of the literal meaning of the language used.’ Wise v. Watson, 286 Ala. 22, 27 , 236 So.2d 681, 686 (1970). That is, the unambiguous terms of a judgment, like the terms in a written contract, are to be given their usual and ordinary meaning. See Thornton v. Elmore County Bd. of Educ., 882 So.2d 855, 858 (Ala.Civ.App.2003) (quoting State Pers. Bd. v. Akers, 797 So.2d 422, 424 (Ala.2000)).””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 54 So. 3d 900 - King v. Barnes

3. “what, if any, amount of alimony might be warranted based upon the wife's expenses and the husband's income.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 260 So. 3d 55 - Myers v. Myers