John Simpson Hastings
How Judge Hastings rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Hastings no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Hastings
John Simpson Hastings was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Judge Hastings received a commission on August 26, 1957. Judge Hastings assumed senior status on February 1, 1969 and served until death on February 7, 1977.
How Judge Hastings decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
Hastings required factual allegations rather than legal conclusions to support a fair-representation claim.
“They are mere conclusions of law, plainly insufficient under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.”
He required post-conviction movants to plead supporting facts instead of unsupported conclusions.
“the movant must set forth facts and not merely conclusions.”
Cautions
He enforced a criminal defendant's timely request for special fact findings after a bench trial.
“We hold that-it was error for the trial court to refuse to find the facts specially on request of defendant”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Reversed and remanded.”
“The judgment of the district court is affirmed.”
“No. 74-1235 — Affirmed in part; reversed in part; remanded with directions. No. 74-1279 — Affirmed.”
“The judgment of conviction is affirmed.”
“we affirm the decision and order of the district court which is the subject of this appeal.”
“The judgment of the district court appealed from 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 Hastings 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.