Loyal Edwin Knappen
How Judge Knappen rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Knappen no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Knappen
Loyal Edwin Knappen was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Appointed by President William H. Taft, Judge Knappen received a commission on January 31, 1910. Judge Knappen previously served on the United States Circuit Courts for the Sixth Circuit, commissioned there on January 31, 1910. Judge Knappen assumed senior status on April 15, 1924 and served until death on May 14, 1930.
How Judge Knappen decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Goldman v. Goldberger, he found that a party’s failure to state that the original agreement continued did not necessarily defeat the claim that it remained in force.
“a failure to so indicate is not necessarily fatal to, or even inconsistent with, his claim that the original agreement still continued.”
In Pace v. United States, he affirmed after finding that the defendant received a fair trial.
“The record impresses us that plaintiff in error has had a fair trial.”
Procedural preferences
In McIntyre, Knappen found no abuse of discretion in the denial of a new-trial motion based on newly discovered evidence.
“This discretion was not abused”
In Emery v. Central Trust, he dismissed an attempted appeal from a cross-bill ruling because it was not reviewable before final judgment.
“its dismissal was therefore not the subject of appeal, in advance of final decision in the original suits.”
Cautions
In Second National Bank of Cincinnati v. Pan-American Bridge Co., Knappen reversed and ordered a new trial because the jury instruction allowed a contractor to recover without an architect’s certificate if it was withheld “unreasonably and unfairly”; he held that the instruction needed to convey bad faith or a failure to exercise honest judgment.
“it should be made clear that they involve either bad faith or a refusal or failure to exercise honest judgment.”
In Avery-Loeb Electric v. Markel, he found the asserted work fell short of invention and directed judgment invalidating the patent claim.
“we think what Markel did fell short of invention.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Judgment reversed, and new trial ordered.”
“As to these two excepted matters, the order of the District Court is reversed, and the cause remanded”
“the judgment below is accordingly affirmed, with costs.”
“The appeal is therefore dismissed.”
“The judgment of the District Court is reversed, with costs, and a new trial ordered.”
“the order of the District Court should be reversed, with costs, and the cause remanded, with directions to dismiss the petition for'reclamation.”
“The judgment must be reversed, and the case remanded, with directions to award a new trial.”
“The judgment of the District Court is reversed, and the record remanded to that court, with directions to enter decree finding claim 1 invalid.”
“The order of the District Court is reversed, and the record remanded to that court, with directions to disallow the claims”
“The judgment of the District Court should be affirmed.”
A historical record
Judge Knappen 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.