Cameron v. Cameron’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

11 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 11 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[a]lthough the trial court found that [the party requesting fees] was acting in good faith and ha[d] insufficient means to defray the expense of the suit, ... the order failed to make any findings as to the nature and scope of the legal services rendered, the skill and time required, the attorney's hourly rate, and its reasonableness in comparison with that of other lawyers.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sappington v. Sappington · 231 N.C. App. 17 - Hennessey v. Duckworth

2. “[t]he trial court must make specific findings of fact relevant to: (1) The movant’s ability to defray the cost of the suit, specifically that the movant is unable to employ counsel so that he may proceed to meet the other litigant in the suit; (2) whether the movant has initiated the action in good faith; (3) the attorney’s skill; (4) the attorney’s hourly rate charged; and (5) the nature and extent of the legal services performed.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 231 N.C. App. 17 - Hennessey v. Duckworth · 232 N.C. App. 611 - Respess v. Respess

3. “a bald statement that a party has insufficient means to defray the expenses of the suit is not a finding of fact at all but a conclusion of law.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Sappington v. Sappington · 255 N.C. App. 543 - Sarno v. Sarno