James Earl Major
How Judge Major rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Major no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Major
James Earl Major was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Judge Major received a commission on March 23, 1937. Judge Major previously served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, commissioned there on January 26, 1934. Judge Major assumed senior status on March 23, 1956 and served until death on January 4, 1972.
How Judge Major decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
Major approved ending litigation when a party had long known the facts but failed to state a viable claim before trial.
“All litigation must sometime be brought to an end and, in our view, under the circumstances, there was no abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court in the rulings complained of.”
Major directed a judgment of acquittal when the indictment alleged that a kidnapping victim was held for reward but the government presented no proof of that allegation.
“This holding, however, is of little comfort to the government because admittedly there was no proof in support of the allegation that the baby was held for reward.”
Where disputed injunction provisions could simply be deleted with the parties' assent, Major ordered that limited modification without deciding their validity.
“Under such circumstances, we discern no reason why we should rule on the issue as to their validity when all question can be removed by their elimination.”
Cautions
A default judgment could not stand when service on the corporation failed to satisfy the legal requirements.
“The liberal construction rule which the government seeks to invoke cannot be utilized as a substitute for the plain legal requirement as to the manner in which service of process may be had.”
Reviewing an agency's discriminatory-discharge finding, Major cautioned that contrary inference ordinarily could not overcome direct positive testimony.
“It has been held, and we think properly, that inferences contrary to direct testimony are not ordinarily sufficient to support a finding.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The petition for review of the denial of petitioner’s request for voluntary departure is dismissed.”
“His petition for review is dismissed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Circuit judges do not carry a single assigned trial caseload.
A historical record
Judge Major 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.