Walter Garrett Riddick

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit circuit Retired 1953 · served 1941–1953 Appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) 25 signed orders read

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

How Judge Riddick decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

Riddick required proof of prejudice before treating a procedural extension as grounds to defeat agency action.

“No claim is made and no proof is offered to show that either respondent suffered any prejudice as a result of the extension of time granted McClellan, and none can be discovered from anything in the record.”

He distinguished actual loss from punitive relief when the evidence established no compensatory damages.

“Since the evidence failed to establish actual damages, no punitive damages were recoverable, and only nominal damages could have been allowed.”

Procedural preferences

He enforced the final-judgment rule against an interlocutory appeal from a conditional dismissal ruling.

“An order denying a motion to dismiss is not a final appealable judgment.”

He treated mandamus as unavailable to second-guess a matter committed to the trial court.

“In the case before us the decision of the District Court on the motion to dismiss, whether correct or incorrect, was upon a question committed by law to its determination.”

Cautions

He rejected liability resting on conjecture about what an adequate warning might have changed.

“The jury could only conjecture as to what Crowl might or could have done to avoid a collision.”

Signed rulings

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

Peterson v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co.
· 1944-07-10
Appeal (creditor appellant) Denied

“The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.”

Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corp. v. Reeves
· 1945-03-28
Appeal (mandamus petitioner) Denied

“The petition is denied.”

State v. Durupt
· 1945-04-17
Appeal (state appellant) Granted

“The judgment of the district court is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings in conformity with this opinion.”

Hill v. United States
· 1945-07-19
Appeal (defendant appellant) Granted

“The judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded with directions to enter a judgment of acquittal.”

Chapman v. United States
· 1945-11-06
Appeal (defendant appellant) Denied

“The judgment is affirmed.”

United States v. Albrecht
13 · 1946-04-09
Appeal (government appellant) Granted

“Since the decision here is ruled by the Oliver case, the judgment in each of the cases is reversed, and each case is remanded to the District Court with directions to enter judgment in favor of the appellees for the consideration stipulated in the contract between appellees and the United States without interest.”

Comstock v. Thompson
· 1946-04-11
Appeal (bondholder appellant) Denied

“The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.”

United States ex rel. Lauritsen v. Allen
· 1946-04-23
Appeal (habeas petitioner appellant) Denied

“The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.”

Stock Yards National Bank v. Commissioner
· 1948-08-18
Appeal (bank petitioner) Denied

“Judgment affirmed.”

Michener v. United States
· 1948-11-02
Appeal (post-conviction movant appellant) Denied

“The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.”

St. Louis Union Trust Co. v. Commissioner
· 1949-03-23
Appeal (estate petitioner) Denied

“The judgment of the Tax Court is affirmed.”

Mahowald v. United States
· 1949-07-22
Appeal (landowner appellants) Denied

“Judgments affirmed.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Not applicable to this circuit-court record.

A historical record

Judge Riddick 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.