James Earl Major

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit circuit Retired 1972 · served 1937–1972 Appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) 25 signed orders read

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

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.”

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.”

Signed rulings

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

The v. L. Smithers Manufacturing Company v. William P. O'Brien and William J. O'malley, D.B.A. Illinois Wholesale Florist
340 F.2d 952 (7th Cir. 1965) · 1965-02-16
Appeal (patent owner/appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Donald F. Duncan, Inc. v. Royal Tops Manufacturing Co.
343 F.2d 669 (7th Cir. 1965) · 1965-03-03
Appeal (plaintiff/appellant) Denied

“The judgment appealed from is Affirmed.”

Guglielmo Monte v. Immigration & Naturalization Service
353 F.2d 7 (7th Cir. 1965) · 1965-10-25
Appeal (alien/petitioner) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Ismat Tawfeek Khalaf v. Immigration and Naturalization Service
361 F.2d 208 (7th Cir. 1966) · 1966-05-19
Appeal (alien/petitioner) Moot / procedural

“The petition for review of the denial of petitioner’s request for voluntary departure is dismissed.”

William Rabiolo v. Myron Weinstein, Richard Jordan, Ronald Pontius and Bernard Smith
357 F.2d 167 (7th Cir. 1966) · 1966-02-23
Appeal (plaintiff/appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Nikolaos Kusularis v. Immigration and Naturalization Service
361 F.2d 311 (7th Cir. 1966) · 1966-05-19
Appeal (alien/petitioner) Moot / procedural

“His petition for review is dismissed.”

United States v. Superintendent, Downey Veterans Administration Hospital, North Chicago, Illinois
354 F.2d 635 (7th Cir. 1965) · 1965-12-29
Appeal (habeas petitioner/appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

United States of America Ex Rel. Mac Tanner v. Frank J. Pate, Warden, Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet, Illinois
329 F.2d 170 (7th Cir. 1964) · 1964-05-18
Appeal (habeas petitioner/appellant) Denied

“Affirmed,”

Lucian L. Barrett v. Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Company, a Corporation
334 F.2d 803 (7th Cir. 1964) · 1964-06-30
Appeal (railroad/appellant) Denied

“the judgment must be affirmed.”

American Bridge Division, United States Steel Corporation v. Roen Steamship Company
328 F.2d 838 (7th Cir. 1964) · 1964-03-09
Appeal (shipowner/appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

John F. Waldon v. United States
362 F.2d 155 (7th Cir. 1966) · 1966-06-07
Appeal (prisoner/appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Beckman Instruments, Inc. And Harold A. Frediani v. Coleman Instruments, Inc.
338 F.2d 573 (7th Cir. 1964) · 1964-11-09
Appeal (patent owner/appellant) Denied

“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 Major 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.