Heartsill Ragon
Judge Ragon no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Ragon decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
He treated removal timing as controlled by the state-law deadline for answering, and remanded when the removal papers came after that deadline.
“the time having expired for filing answer, the petition and bond were filed out of time.”
In bankruptcy discharge disputes, proof of materially inaccurate financial statements shifted the burden to the debtors to explain or justify them.
“the burden shifts to the bankrupts to explain or justify the making of such reckless and incorrect statements.”
Procedural preferences
He read the federal rules as preserving statutory limits on jurisdiction and venue rather than expanding them through third-party practice.
“These rules shall not be construed to extend or limit the jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States or the venue of actions therein.”
He declined federal declaratory intervention where the insurer retained an adequate coverage defense after the state case and intervention would intrude on state-court jurisdiction.
“For this court to step in and enjoin the further prosecution of this case in the state court under these circumstances would amount to an unjustifiable invasion of the jurisdiction of the state court.”
Cautions
A retailer was not liable for a dangerous product on a negligence theory without evidence that it knew of the danger.
“before he can be liable for actionable negligence it must be shown that he had notice of this dangerous quality.”
In reviewing utility rates, he distinguished a rate that failed to cover lawful operating costs from a higher rate that produced sufficient revenue.
“The record clearly discloses that the 40-cent rate embodied in the ordinance of February 13, 1934, is confiscatory and is, therefore, invalid.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The demurrer is accordingly sustained.”
“the motion to dismiss is accordingly sustained.”
“The court was correct in directing a verdict for the appellee and his action is, therefore, affirmed.”
“It is, therefore, ordered that the complaint against Jessie Giger and A. M. Smith be dismissed.”
“The cause will accordingly be remanded to the Miller circuit court.”
“The judgment of the lower court is accordingly affirmed.”
“This cause is accordingly remanded to the Nevada County Circuit Court.”
“an order is directed dissolving the injunction issued on the 30th day of January, 1937, and dismissing the case.”
“Since there is no liability under the policy for Pierson’s claim, the company is under no obligation to defend the suit against Shrigley.”
“Accordingly, the intervention of T. W, M. Boone will be dismissed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The recoverable decisions span bankruptcy, insurance, removal, negligence, tax, utility-rate regulation, venue, criminal procedure, and appellate review. The publication-selected corpus cannot support a career-wide caseload estimate.
A historical record
Judge Ragon 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.