Hugh H. Bownes

How Judge Bownes rules, drawn from 29 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Position
Circuit judge
Status
Deceased
Served
1977–2003
Appointed by
Jimmy Carter (Democratic)
Commissioned
October 11, 1977
Education
Columbia University (BA); Columbia Law School (LLB)
Signed orders read
29

About Judge Bownes

Hugh Henry Bownes was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Appointed by President Jimmy Carter, Judge Bownes received a commission on October 11, 1977. Judge Bownes previously served on the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, commissioned there on July 25, 1968. Judge Bownes assumed senior status on January 1, 1990 and served until death on November 5, 2003.

How Judge Bownes decides

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

What persuades

Treats a later stockholder claim tied to the same loan transactions as a compulsory counterclaim that belonged in the earlier suit.

“The court correctly ruled that the stockholder issues arose out of the same loan transactions that were the basis of the earlier suit.”

Procedural preferences

In Gagne v. Fair, Bownes found that Gagne had not alerted the state courts to the federal constitutional nature of his claim before seeking federal habeas relief.

“Gagne did not alert the Commonwealth courts to the federal nature of his claim.”

Cautions

Declines equitable tolling of an unfair labor practice service deadline solely because the employer suffered no actual prejudice.

“the absence of prejudice ‘is not an independent basis for invoking the [equitable tolling] doctrine and sanctioning deviations from established procedures.’”

Signed rulings

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

Bottero Enterprises, Inc. v. Southern New England Production Credit Association
· 1984-09-18
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Victor H. Cipriano v. State of Rhode Island
· 1984-07-11
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed,.”

William C. ROBINSON, Et Al., Plaintiffs, Appellants, v. POLAROID CORPORATION, Defendant, Appellee
· 1984-04-25
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“The judgment for defendant on the individual and class action claims is affirmed.”

Marion McGrath v. Carlo Spirito, Jr., Etc.
· 1984-05-02
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

William M. Gilday, Jr. v. John O. Boone
· 1981-07-22
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“The judgment of the district court is affirmed with respect to the dismissal of the claim of injunctive relief and vacated and remanded for further proceedings with respect to the claim for damages.”

Holden v. Commission Against Discrimination of Massachusetts
· 1982-02-17
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“The decisions of the district court are affirmed.”

Jose Morales Sanabria v. International Longshoremen's Association Local 1575 and Guillermo Ortiz
· 1979-05-04
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“The judgment as to liability and general damages is affirmed. The judgment based on attorney’s fees and prejudgment interest is vacated.”

Isidoro Cruz-Sanchez v. Benito Rivera-Cordero, Etc.
· 1988-02-03
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“affirmed.”

United States v. Maurice Fred Alves
· 1989-05-08
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Wayne S. Hicks v. William F. Callahan, Etc.
· 1988-10-20
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“REVERSED. The petition for habeas corpus shall be dismissed.”

Walter Nelson v. William F. Callahan, Walter Nelson v. William F. Callahan
· 1983-11-14
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“The judgment of the district court is affirmed.”

Robert George Wightman, Jr. v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
· 1985-03-05
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“Affirmed as to everything except the issue of the potential segregability of the material in footnote 4.”

A historical record

Judge Bownes no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.