Thomas Alexander Murphree
Judge Murphree no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Murphree decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Murphree looked through transactional labels to the parties' actual course of dealing, especially when form could conceal usury.
“We hold that it was proper for the Referee to determine from the facts that this was really a loan transaction despite the terminology of the instrument.”
He treated physically demanding employer-controlled travel and required preparatory tasks as compensable work rather than focusing only on productive time at the work station.
“No characteristic of work is lacking. This time must be included in the workweek of the employees represented by the defendants.”
He accepted administrative fact-finding when the record amply supported the award and the governing statute favored coverage.
“Our conclusion is that the decision and award of the deputy commissioner is correct and amply supported by all of the evidence.”
Procedural preferences
Murphree distinguished a curable pleading omission from a structural defect that left the plaintiff without an enforceable administrative order against the parties sued.
“However, this defect in the complaint is probably not fatal because an amendment could easily be framed to assert a causal connection between union affiliation and discharge.”
He applied simplified federal pleading rules and preferred discovery over demands for additional detail when the complaint gave fair notice of the claim.
“Likewise the motions for more definite statement or bills of particulars will be denied, since any necessary information desired by the defendants can be obtained by interrogatories.”
He required diligence before reopening a closed bankruptcy matter and protected rights that had vested in reliance on the dismissal.
“There must be a seasonable and diligent application. There must be good cause existing justifying the re-opening of the case in the sound discretion of the Court. The .Court must be satisfied that no intervening rights have vested which it would be inequitable and unjust to disturb.”
Cautions
He treated jurisdictional limits as independent of the possible collateral consequences of a judgment.
“In the present case all that is directly in issue is the amount sued for, that is, $1,500.”
He would not let a generalized public interest substitute for a direct injury when plaintiffs sought judicial control of an executive agency.
“The courts have uniformly denied sufficient legal interest in private citizens, as such, to enjoin or compel the acts of federal agencies based purely on a showing of public interest and not a direct and immediate financial interest.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“It is our conclusion that the jurisdictional amount is not present in this cause, and the cause will therefore be remanded to the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Bessemer Division.”
“An order denying the petition for review and confirming the Referee will be entered.”
“An order will be entered granting the petition for review, reversing the order of the Referee, and requiring the Referee to pay the fund of $175 to the reviewant here.”
“In consequence, the value of the corpus of the 1928 trust should in nowise have been included in Mr. Kaul’s estate for the purpose of computing the estate tax properly payable.”
“The plaintiff’s claim for deduction from the gross estate for the purposes of computing the Federal Estate Tax of the, as yet undetermined, amount of the attorney’s fees for this litigation in my opinion must be denied.”
“The value of the 1923 trust property as of the time of Mr. Kaul’s death must be included in the computation of his gross estate for the purposes of payment of Federal Estate tax.”
“Therefore, the claim for refund of the gift tax on the 1923 trust, as amended on December 31, 1925, with interest paid from December 31, 1925, is well founded, and the plaintiffs must prevail in case No. 4660.”
“By the same token, since this gift tax was not due upon Mr. Kaul’s death, the defendant must prevail in case No. 4661 as to the plaintiffs’ claim for reduction of the estate tax because of deduction of the amount of the gift tax on the 1923 trust as amended from the gross estate.”
“Although there is some conflict of authorities, it is believed that so far as the facts in this case are concerned, the Referee had full authority and jurisdiction over the ‘res’ constituting the bankrupt’s estate, and this review should be decided adversely to the reviewant, C. H. Pulley, receiver appointed by the Circuit Court of Madison County in Equity.”
“It is hereby ordered, adjudged and decreed that this cause is dismissed for failure of the plaintiff to prosecute the action and for failure of plaintiff to comply with said Rules of Civil Procedure.”
“The temporary injunction will be denied because insufficient facts appear in the complaint, as amended, to permit formulation of an effective order which will not unduly hamper the defendants”
“The motions to dismiss and to- strike will be denied.”
“Likewise the motions for more definite statement or bills of particulars will be denied, since any necessary information desired by the defendants can be obtained by interrogatories.”
“The Alabama Independent Service Station Association, Inc., will be stricken as a plaintiff.”
“the motions to sever will be granted to the extent that the claims against each of the five pairs of defendants noted above will be proceeded with separately.”
“The Referee was correct in allowing the claimants to proceed in the State Court to reduce their claims to judgment and enforce their attachment liens. It would appear, however, that he should have gone further and specified by order that the notices of claims be allowed merely as secured claims and the claimants’ rights limited to the four acres of land.”
“The Referee was manifestly correct in his rulings.”
“These facts being admitted, the action should be dismissed for want of jurisdiction through the effect of the assignee clause of Section 41(1) of Title 28, U.S.C., 28 U.S.C.A. § 41(1), and a failure of the requisite diversity of citizenship on which the suit is based.”
“Judgment will be rendered for the defendant in an order in conformity with this opinion.”
“We hold that, because the statutes here attacked are clearly constitutional, the motion- to dismiss should be granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The located opinions span bankruptcy, taxation, insurance, labor, antitrust, administrative review, federal jurisdiction, and civil procedure. They do not establish the distribution of Murphree's full caseload.
A historical record
Judge Murphree no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.