Quick facts
Court U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Position circuit
Status Retired 1957
Served 1950–1957
Appointed by Harry S. Truman (Democratic)
Commissioned 1950-02-10
Education DePauw University, A.B., 1913; University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1916
Signed orders read 25
Last updated 2026-07-13
Motion outcomes
AppealN = 25
counts only
7 1 17
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 Swaim decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Swaim treated a warrant that exceeded the probable-cause showing as invalid from the outset and required suppression of the resulting evidence.
“All we need know is that the warrant was not valid when issued. As a result the search was illegal.”
He required bankruptcy factfinders to make findings sufficient to reveal the factual basis for their legal conclusions.
“there must be findings * * which are sufficient to indicate the factual basis for the ultimate conclusion.”
He would not uphold a draft-board decision that rested on a legal misconception rather than evidence.
“There was no basis in fact or in law for such a finding.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
Federal Trade Commission v. William T. Reed, President, Reed Candy Company
243 F.2d 308 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-05-20
Appeal (company president/appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
In the Matter of Robert L. Knetzer, Bankrupt. Robert W. Jaffke v. William C. Dunham, as Trustee of the Estate of Robert L. Knetzer, Bankrupt
243 F.2d 460 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-05-02
Appeal (bankruptcy claimant/appellant)
Granted
“Reversed.”
In re Woodmar Realty Co.
241 F.2d 768 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-04-02
Appeal (debtor and stockholders/appellants)
Granted in part
“Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.”
Morris Rosenthal and Rose Rosenthal v. Gordon M. Hildebrand, Louis Rosenthal, K. Lewis Gilbert, Nannie H. Hildebrand and Alton Parker Hildebrand
242 F.2d 607 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-03-25
Appeal (plaintiffs/appellants)
Denied
“The judgment of dismissal is affirmed.”
William B. F. Hall, Aileen Hall Shoaff, Arthur F. Hall, Jr., Alva J. McAndless and Fred B. Shoaff, II v. United States
242 F.2d 412 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-03-25
Appeal (taxpayers/appellants)
Denied
“The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.”
J. R. Adney v. Mississippi Lime Company of Missouri
241 F.2d 43 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-02-08
Appeal (landowners/appellants)
Granted
“The order of dismissal is reversed and the cause remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
William Banks v. United States
239 F.2d 409 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-01-29
Appeal (post-conviction petitioner/appellant)
Denied
“The order of the District Court is affirmed.”
United States v. Fred Harper
241 F.2d 103 (7th Cir. 1957) · 1957-01-23
Appeal (post-conviction petitioner/appellant)
Denied
“The order is affirmed.”
Lamar H. Miller v. New York Central Railroad Company
239 F.2d 10 (7th Cir. 1956) · 1956-12-12
Appeal (railroad employee/appellant)
Denied
“Affirmed.”
United States v. Joseph Jakalski
237 F.2d 503 (7th Cir. 1956) · 1956-11-07
Appeal (post-conviction petitioner/appellant)
Denied
“The order of the District Court is affirmed.”
United States v. Carolina Casualty Insurance Company
237 F.2d 451 (7th Cir. 1956) · 1956-10-11
Appeal (bond surety/appellant)
Denied
“The order of forfeiture and judgment thereon is affirmed.”
Frances Magnus, Administrator of the Estate of Leo Michalowski, Deceased v. United States
234 F.2d 673 (7th Cir. 1956) · 1956-08-08
Appeal (veteran's estate/appellant)
Denied
“The judgment of the District Court dismissing this action is Affirmed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Circuit judges do not carry a single assigned trial caseload.
A historical record
Judge Swaim 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.