Thomas Joseph Meskill
Judge Meskill no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Meskill decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Enforced arbitration agreements strictly as the parties wrote them, holding a court cannot compel consolidation of separate arbitrations for efficiency's sake when the contracts did not provide for it.
“a district court cannot order consolidation of arbitration proceedings arising from separate agreements to arbitrate absent the parties' agreement to allow such consolidation.”
Procedural preferences
Required a searching, on-the-record inquiry before treating a fundamental trial right as waived, refusing to accept a non-unanimous verdict merely because defense counsel proposed it.
“Before we could conclude that such an important right had been waived, we would have to be satisfied that the trial judge had made a searching inquiry”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the judgment of the district court.”
“We disagree but reduce the hourly rate to $75 and affirm the judgment as amended.”
“we vacate the judgment of the district court granting Division's motion for summary judgment and remand this case to the district court for further proceedings.”
“We reverse the district court's decision and remand the case for further proceedings.”
“Because the law enforcement officials had probable cause to detain and arrest Patrick, we reverse and remand.”
A historical record
Judge Meskill 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.