John A. Field Jr.
How Judge Field rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Field no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Field
John A. Field, Jr. was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Appointed by President Richard M. Nixon, Judge Field received a commission on September 22, 1971. Judge Field previously served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, commissioned there on August 13, 1959. Judge Field assumed senior status on April 1, 1976 and served until death on December 16, 1995.
How Judge Field decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Requires record material sufficient to eliminate factual disputes before a civil-rights claim is dismissed without an evidentiary hearing.
“the district court should ordinarily require that a dismissal or summary motion be supported by affidavit or other material sufficiently demonstrating that there is no factual issue and that dismissal is appropriate as a matter of law.”
Uses statutory purpose to construe transfer of a firearm to a carrier as requiring actual notice.
“custody” must be construed to mean a transfer of control in a manner which gives the carrier actual notice of the presence of a firearm.”
Procedural preferences
In Carolina Freight Carriers v. Pitt County Transportation, Field reversed judgment on the pleadings because the motor-carrier regulation did not invalidate the lease’s indemnification provision between the contracting parties.
“it was error to grant defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings.”
Treats a fully tried jury issue and the trial judge's reasonable reading of the verdict exchange with substantial deference.
“Assuredly, there was no abuse of discretion by the district judge in denying the motion for a new trial on this point.”
Cautions
Applies the substantial-evidence standard as requiring enough relevant evidence for a reasonable mind to accept the conclusion.
“Substantial evidence means such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.”
Rejects formal distinctions that do not affect the statutory tax question before the court.
“In the context of the issue before us this is a distinction of no consequence whatever.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“No. 73-2213 affirmed;”
“No. 73-2282 reversed and remanded.”
“the judgment of the district court is Affirmed.”
“Affirmed in 73-1930. Affirmed in 73-2450.”
“Reversed in part; remanded in part.”
A historical record
Judge Field 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.