Quick facts
Court U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Position circuit
Status Deceased
Served 1955–1993
Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
Commissioned 1955-07-27
Education University of Nebraska, A.B., 1930; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1932
Signed orders read 25
Last updated 2026-07-13
Motion outcomes
AppealN = 25
counts only
8 2 14 1
Counted from classified signed orders. A “1 of 1” is one ruling, not a tendency.
About this data
A free Ezel research resource. This profile is built from public records: the judge's own signed orders, public docket records, and published biographies. It is not legal advice and is not affiliated with the court.
How Judge Brown decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Resists disposing of factual disputes on bare pleadings and requires proof before extending or rejecting a legal theory.
“This is another case proving that final disposition of a civil action on the basis of bare bones pleadings is a tortuous thing.”
Requires evidence tying a presumed event to the legally critical period rather than relying on general character or family-contact evidence.
“This was insufficient to prove that Dutton must therefore have died in the critical two-months period.”
Orders factual development when a collateral claim raises a substantial constitutional question that has never received a hearing.
“No hearing has ever been held to resolve this factual issue having such potential importance.”
Demands specific factual findings on whether counsel was offered and knowingly waived before accepting a guilty plea.
“We therefore reverse the judgment of the District Court and remand the cause with directions to hold a new hearing for a full development of the facts with particularity concerning the offer of counsel to Molignaro and his asserted' waiver thereof.”
A judge may not prosecute a criminal-contempt charge and then adjudicate the same case.
“Judge Hittner, likewise, could not prosecute the contempt and at the same time act as Judge.”
A federal jurisdictional dismissal does not decide the underlying state-law merits and should preserve the claimant's substantive rights where appropriate.
“Our ruling today is without prejudice to the rights of Buchanan to enforce his substantive rights in state court.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
Lola D. Moore v. Richard Hanson, Collector of Internal Revenue
· 1964-01-02
Appeal (taxpayer appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Richard Dean Schmidt v. United States
· 1961-01-13
Appeal (federal prisoner appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Russell L. Hayes v. United States
· 1963-11-01
Appeal (federal prisoner appellant)
Granted
“Reversed and remanded.”
W. Willard Wirtz, Secretary of Labor, United States Department of Labor v. D. B. Harrigill
· 1964-03-09
Appeal (Secretary of Labor appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Bernardino Figueroa Delgado v. The Steamship Malula, Her Engines, Boilers, Etc., and Oscar G. Abello Ameller
· 1961-06-16
Appeal (injured longshoreman appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Ervin Gerald Kristiansand v. United States
· 1963-06-25
Appeal (federal prisoner appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Bituminous Casualty Corporation v. Lettie Mae Ligon
· 1961-05-30
Appeal (workers' compensation insurer appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Delma E. (Dutton) Jones v. United States
· 1959-05-21
Appeal (insurance beneficiary appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
Avondale Shipyards, Inc. v. P. J. Donovan
· 1961-07-13
Appeal (shipyard employer appellant)
Granted
“Reversed and rendered.”
Myrtle S. Shull and Walter G. Shull v. Pilot Life Insurance Company
· 1963-02-06
Appeal (insured plaintiffs appellants)
Granted
“Reversed and remanded.”
Arthur H. Richland Company v. Edward A. Harper and Rose B. Harper
· 1962-04-27
Appeal (marine seller appellant)
Granted
“Reversed and remanded.”
Henry A. Molignaro v. A. L. Dutton, Warden, Georgia State Prison
· 1967-03-03
Appeal (state prisoner appellant)
Granted
“Reversed and remanded.”
A historical record
Judge Brown 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.