More from Judge Powell, here in Georgia, F. & A. Ry. Co. v. Sasser, 61 S.E. 505 (Ga. App. 1908):

"Obvious" is a pretty strong sounding word. Its chief juridic employment, so far as my observation goes, is by judges of courts of review, who generally pronounce obvious those propositions (evolved, perhaps, with many concealed misgivings) which they are able to support with but sparse array of precedent and which they are unwilling to put forth as an original dictum without the supporting influence of some strong, impressive, faith-bearing word; for a proposition weak in substance is oft aided in appearance by the strength of sonancy, and "obvious" is a sonant word.

The Georgia bench seems to be quite the source of linguistic innovation, importation, and discussion, from "obvious" to "autoptic proference" to "defamacast" to "chutzpah."