Richard Harvey Chambers

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit circuit Retired 1976 · served 1954–1976 Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) 25 signed orders read

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

How Judge Chambers decides

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

What persuades

Chambers read a consumer-protection statute to require a fresh investigation each time a new item was disputed.

“The language suggests multiple investigations for multiple disputes.”

Chambers treated the act-of-state doctrine as a context-sensitive restraint tied to practical foreign-relations concerns.

“the act of state doctrine is a flexible principle whose application turns upon the “balance of relevant considerations.””

Procedural preferences

Chambers kept ordinary contract disputes out of federal court when a federally protected mark was merely incidental to the claim.

“the mere existence of the protected trade name and attendant symbol herein does not provide a basis for federal jurisdiction.”

Cautions

Chambers flagged statutory language that created false expectations for prisoners and invited Congress to reconsider the gap.

“If the present statutory language mistakenly effects such an exclusion, then Congress might well wish to review the matter.”

Signed rulings

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

Berdelle Schmidkunz v. Scandinavian Airlines System, Kingdom of Denmark and Copenhagen Airports Authority
77-3833 · 1980-08-15
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

United States v. David Urias
80-1664 · 1981-06-15
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Arnecia Dynes v. TRW Credit Data
79-4322 · 1981-07-31
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“The case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”

Bruce McGregor Davis v. Paul J. Morris, Warden
80-5695 · 1981-10-01
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“Remanded to the district court with the suggestion that it vacate its order denying the writ.”

Stanley Carl Rhinehart v. J. B. Gunn, Warden
80-5330 · 1981-11-16
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“Remanded to the district court for proceedings consistent with this opinion.”

Welker v. United States
81-5266 · 1982-01-07
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“The order dismissing the Bivens claim should be vacated.”

Milton Joseph Brown v. United States
81-3006 · 1982-01-07
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“Remand for proceedings not inconsistent herewith.”

Andrew W. Pettibone v. Hoyt C. Cupp, Warden of Oregon State Penitentiary, and James A. Redden, Attorney General of the State of Oregon
81-3103 · 1981-12-07
Appeal (appellant) Moot / procedural

“Appeal dismissed.”

United States v. Joaquin Arambula-Alvarado
81-1476 · 1982-05-13
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“The judgment of conviction as to both counts is affirmed. The case is remanded to permit resentencing as to Count I, consistent with this Opinion.”

Shamrock Golf Company v. Richcraft, Inc.
81-5939 · 1982-06-30
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“Reversed.”

Johns-Manville Sales Corporation v. United States
80-5622 · 1982-12-06
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

United States v. Betty Lou Powell
82-1473 · 1983-11-10
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“We reverse the convictions on Counts 3, 4 and 5, and we affirm the conviction on Count 15.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Not applicable to this circuit-court record.

A historical record

Judge Chambers 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.