John Johnston Parker

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit circuit Deceased · served 1925–1958 Appointed by Calvin Coolidge (Republican) 25 signed orders read

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

How Judge Parker decides

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

What persuades

Rejects fiscal pressure as a complete excuse for a public body's failure to act on a lawful judgment.

“it may not invoke its embarrassing debt burden as an excuse for refusing to do anything at all.”

Accepts a trial judge's factual boundary finding unless it is clearly wrong.

“we must accept the finding of the trial judge, unless we are prepared to hold that such finding was clearly wrong”

Procedural preferences

Limits judicial intervention in administrative decisions to excess of power, legal error, or abuse of discretion.

“Only where the authority has transcended its legal powers, violated rules of law or abused its discretion may the courts intervene.”

Discourages interlocutory appeals that delay trials and crowd appellate dockets.

“Trials ought not be delayed and appellate dockets crowded by appeals from interlocutory orders directing the course of litigation.”

Cautions

Declines to decide moot questions that can no longer affect any party's rights.

“Nothing that we might decide with respect thereto could affect the rights of any party to the litigation in any way.”

Signed rulings

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

Northern Assur. Co. of London v. Case
· 1926-04-14
Appeal (insurer-appellant) Denied

“the judgment of the District Court was correct, and same is accordingly affirmed. Affirmed.”

First Nat. Bank of Wagener v. Glens Falls Ins. Co. of Glen Falls
· 1928-06-12
Appeal (insureds-appellants) Granted

“The judgment of the court below is accordingly reversed, and the ease is remanded for a new trial. Reversed.”

Carteret County v. Sovereign Camp, Woodmen of the World
· 1935-06-03
Appeal (county-appellant) Denied

“We find no error in the order as entered, and same is accordingly affirmed. Affirmed.”

Cowpens Manufacturing Co. v. United States
· 1935-10-08
Appeal (taxpayers-appellants) Denied

“the judgments appealed from must be affirmed. Affirmed.”

Byrer v. Bushong
· 1940-01-08
Appeal (bankruptcy-attorney-appellant) Denied

“the order appealed from will be affirmed. Affirmed.”

Honaker v. United States
· 1943-05-04
Appeal (criminal-defendant-appellant) Denied

“The judgment appealed from will accorflingly be affirmed. Affirmed.”

Ely Const. Co. v. Town of TimmonsVille
· 1943-11-08
Appeal (contractor-appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Norfolk Southern Ry. Co. v. Swindell
· 1943-11-08
Appeal (railroad-appellant) Granted

“the judgment must be reversed. Reversed.”

Eury v. Huff
· 1944-03-31
Appeal (habeas-petitioner-appellant) Denied

“The order appealed from will accordingly be affirmed. Affirmed.”

Bowles v. Bayview Manor Homes, Inc.
· 1944-11-11
Appeal (price-administrator-appellant) Moot / procedural

“The order below will accordingly be reversed and the case will be remanded with directions that the bill be dismissed without prejudice. Reversed.”

Employees Protective Ass'n of Norfolk v. National Labor Relations Board
· 1945-01-29
Petition for review (association-petitioner) Moot / procedural

“The petition will be dismissed. Petition dismissed.”

Arkansas Fuel Oil Co. v. Kirkmyer
· 1947-01-06
Appeal (oil-company-appellant) Granted

“The judgment appealed from will be reversed and the case will be remanded with direction to enter summary judgment for Arkansas”

A historical record

Judge Parker 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.