Procter Ralph Hug Jr.

How Judge Hug rules, drawn from 30 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Position
circuit
Status
Retired 2017
Served
1977–2017
Appointed by
Jimmy Carter (Democratic)
Commissioned
1977-09-15
ABA rating
Well Qualified
Education
University of Nevada, Reno (B.S., 1953); Stanford Law School (LL.B., 1958)
Signed orders read
30

How Judge Hug decides

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

What persuades

An insurance policy ambiguity is resolved for the insured when the disputed language can reasonably turn on either the property's zoning or the use assumed in an erroneous appraisal.

“At the very least, it is ambiguous whether Centennial’s insurance policy covers an appraisal that erroneously appraises residential property as being commercial, or whether coverage depends on how the property is used as contrasted with how it is zoned.”

Under the categorical approach, the elements of the statute of conviction control. A drug statute that reaches possession without trafficking intent is broader than an enhancement requiring possession with intent to distribute.

“The Nevada statute, however, criminalizes mere possession of certain amounts of controlled substances without proof of any trafficking intent.”

Procedural preferences

An agency action to enforce a subpoena issued under express statutory authority is an original enforcement proceeding, not a civil-discovery motion subject to a local meet-and-confer rule governing discovery.

“The commencement of an action to enforce the investigatory, administrative subpoena of the EEOC is not a ‘discovery motion’ to which Local Rule ll(j) applies. It is a separate, statutorily authorized proceeding.”

Cautions

Section 1983 liability must rest on each defendant's own participation in unlawful conduct. Membership in a law-enforcement team does not itself permit group liability.

“Second, we do not read Melear to allow group liability in and of itself without individual participation in the unlawful conduct.”

A pretrial habeas petition seeking to litigate a Speedy Trial defense ordinarily must yield to the pending state prosecution; exceptions require proven bad faith, harassment, or another extraordinary circumstance causing irreparable injury.

“unless the petitioner can demonstrate that ‘extraordinary circumstances’ warrant federal intervention.”

Signed rulings

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

North Valley Baptist Church v. McMahon
· 1990-01-18
Appeal (appellant (plaintiff North Valley Baptist Church)) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

In re Gustafson (California State University, Fresno v. Gustafson)
· 1991-05-28
Appeal (appellant (creditor California State University, Fresno)) Granted

“VACATED AND REVERSED.”

Diane Williams v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
· 1991-06-11
Appeal (appellant (taxpayer Diane Williams)) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

United States v. Steven Dale Witten
· 1992-06-02
Appeal (appellants (RICO defendants Witten, Fechser, Cofield)) Moot / procedural

“The appeal is DISMISSED.”

United States v. Darryl Rodney Cardwell, Jr.
· 1992-06-23
Appeal (appellant (defendant Darryl Rodney Cardwell, Jr.)) Granted

“REVERSED and REMANDED.”

EEOC v. Deer Valley Unified School District
· 1992-06-30
Appeal (appellant (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)) Granted

“The order is REVERSED.”

Jon Baker v. Centennial Insurance Company
· 1992-07-28
Appeal (appellant (plaintiff/insured Jon Baker)) Granted

“The judgment of the district court is REVERSED.”

United States v. Patricia Delgado-Cardenas
· 1992-12-14
Appeal (appellant (United States / Government)) Granted

“VACATED and REMANDED.”

People of the Territory of Guam v. Benjamin Meno Muna
· 1993-07-13
Appeal (appellant (defendant Benjamin Meno Muna)) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

Mirahmad Feroz v. Immigration & Naturalization Service
· 1994-04-19
Petition for review (Mirahmad Feroz (petitioner)) Denied

“The order of the BIA is AFFIRMED.”

United States v. George Earl Young, William Rogers
· 1994-06-07
Appeal (George Young and William Rogers (defendants-appellants)) Granted

“SENTENCES VACATED and REMANDED for RESENTENCING.”

Chlorine Institute, Inc. v. California Highway Patrol
· 1994-07-11
Appeal (California Highway Patrol (defendant-appellant)) Denied

“The order of the district court is AFFIRMED.”

A historical record

Judge Hug 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.