Jesse Smith Henley

How Judge Henley rules, drawn from 21 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Henley no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
Position
district
Status
Deceased
Served
1959–1997
Appointed by
Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
Commissioned
1959-09-08
Education
University of Arkansas School of Law (LL.B., 1941)
Signed orders read
21

How Judge Henley decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

In McAvoy, Henley allowed an injured worker's suit to proceed because accepting Louisiana benefits did not make the pipeline companies his employers or immunize them as alleged third-party tortfeasors.

“The plaintiff has not sought or received workmen’s compensation payments directly or indirectly from any of the defendants.”

In Kellogg, Henley held that a controlling shareholder could not take over an operating company while forcing minority holders to accept a valuation fixed by the majority.

“Plaintiffs had the right to insist on a lawful liquidation, and they have done so.”

Procedural preferences

In Lehigh, Henley dismissed a tax suit after the government failed to mail the deficiency notice to the taxpayer's last known address.

“The procedures set forth in the Internal Revenue Code were prescribed for the protection of both Government and taxpayer.”

Cautions

In Carpenters Local 2746, Henley held that the trustee could reject an executory collective-bargaining agreement while cautioning that continued operations remained subject to labor law.

“This does not imply by any means that an operating trustee can continue to operate the business of the bankrupt without regard to the requirements of the National Labor Relations Act.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Marymont v. Joyce
H-70-C-6 · 1972-12-29
Habeas petition (military parolee) Denied

“An order dismissing the petition will be entered.”

Norton v. Blaylock
H-68-C-1 · 1968-06-20
Motions to dismiss (state welfare officials) Granted

“An order dismissing the complaint for failure to state a federal cause of action will be entered.”

Lamb v. Midwest Mutual Insurance
H-68-C-14 · 1969-02-18
Summary judgment (insurer) Granted

“The motion for summary judgment will be sustained, and the complaint will be dismissed.”

Campbell v. United States
H-69-C-6 · 1969-10-27
Summary judgment (United States) Granted

“The motion will be granted, and the complaint will be dismissed.”

Sureck v. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co.
H-72-C-3 · 1973-01-05
Insurance proceeds claim (insured and his attorneys) Denied

“A judgment dismissing the complaint of Sureek and the Firm will be entered.”

Arkansas v. Shaddox
1751 · 1966-12-07
Motions to remand (State of Arkansas) Granted

“it is clear that the State’s motion to remand this case must be granted.”

Woolston v. State Farm Mutual Insurance Co.
H-69-C-10 · 1969-12-01
Summary judgment (insurer) Denied

“Defendant’s motion for summary judgment is denied.”

Motion for leave to amend (parents of deceased insured) Granted

“Leave to amend within the next ten days is now granted.”

Murphy Corp. v. United States
E.D. 989 · 1964-04-01
Tax refund claim (oil-and-gas producer) Denied

“From what has been said, it follows that the complaint must be dismissed.”

United States v. Norman
872 · 1960-06-17
Insurance proceeds claim (competing surviving husband and heirs) Granted in part

“The United States Attorney will please prepare and present a precedent for a judgment awarding one-half of the fund to Mr. Hammond and the other half to the heirs.”

Couch v. Prescolite Manufacturing Corp.
E.D. 893 · 1961-02-21
Summary judgment (employer) Granted

“The motion will be granted, and the complaint dismissed.”

McAvoy v. Texas Eastern Transmission Corp.
861 · 1960-03-09
Workers compensation exclusivity defense (pipeline-company defendants) Denied

“the Court rejects the plea of all of the defendants based upon plaintiff’s receipt of workmen’s compensation payments under Louisiana law, and holds that all of the defendants are proper subjects of this action.”

Carpenters Local Union No. 2746 v. Turney Wood Products, Inc.
H-68-C-6; H-68-B-5 · 1968-06-28
Motions to dismiss (bankruptcy trustee and other defendants) Granted

“A decree will be entered dismissing the complaint in No. 6 with prejudice.”

Petition to review referee order (labor union) Denied

“In No. 5 an order will be entered dismissing the petition for review without prejudice to the right of the Union to demand that a new contract be negotiated.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No tenure-bounded docket record was available from which to describe caseload mix.

A historical record

Judge Henley 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.