Albert Lee Stephens Sr.
How Judge Stephens rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Stephens no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Stephens
Albert Lee Stephens, Sr. was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Judge Stephens received a commission on June 18, 1937. Judge Stephens previously served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, commissioned there on August 24, 1935. Judge Stephens assumed senior status on January 25, 1961 and served until death on January 15, 1965.
How Judge Stephens decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Stephens deferred to trial-level factfinding when the record contained conflicting evidence and the findings were not clearly erroneous.
“we do not find the trial court’s findings of fact ‘clearly erroneous.’”
He applied the maintenance-and-cure obligation liberally to protect seamen and rejected restrictive distinctions that would undermine its remedial purpose.
“Typically, admiralty courts have given liberal interpretation to the obligation for the protection of seamen who are considered, in a sense, wards of the court.”
Procedural preferences
Stephens treated citizenship, not residence, as the jurisdictional fact required to plead diversity.
“Diversity of citizenship as a basis for the jurisdiction of a cause in the District Court of the United States is not dependent upon the residence of any of the parties, but upon their citizenship.”
He required a dismissal motion supported by outside affidavits to be treated as summary judgment, with the opposing party given a fair opportunity to respond.
“Fed.Rule Civ.P. 12(b) requires that the motion be treated as one for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56.”
Cautions
Stephens held that Fourth Amendment protection applies fully to a hotel room despite the temporary nature of the guest's stay.
“The right to privacy must be accorded with equal vigor both to transient hotel guests and to occupants of private, permanent dwellings.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Judgment of the District Court vacated. Case remanded.”
“On the reasoning and authorities cited in the Collins case, supra, the judgment of the District Court dismissing appellant’s complaint in the instant case is affirmed.”
“Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Not applicable to this circuit-court record.
A historical record
Judge Stephens 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.