Wallace McCamant
Judge McCamant no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge McCamant decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In maritime cases, McCamant read statutory protection for shipowners narrowly and required seaworthiness when the voyage actually began.
“This court has held that the Harter Act is to be strictly construed.”
He treated habeas and similar proceedings as limited collateral review rather than a substitute for direct appellate correction.
“This proceeding is a collateral attack on the judgment of a court of general jurisdiction.”
Procedural preferences
McCamant treated a litigant's right to a reasonably prompt trial as continuing, even when the party had not immediately challenged delay.
“The right of a litigant to have his cause tried is a continuing right, and is not lost by his failure promptly to assert it.”
He generally declined to review alleged trial errors unless counsel had made suitable objections and preserved exceptions.
“In the absence of suitable objections and exceptions, we cannot review the action of the trial court.”
Cautions
Where the preserved proof was overwhelming, McCamant would not search the record for issues that had not been raised below and properly presented.
“When the proof of guilt is so overwhelming as in this ease, it is not our duty to seek out and determine questions not reserved in the trial court, and not presented by the record.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“A writ of mandamus will therefore issue, directing respondents to set the cause for trial at a date not later than six months subsequent to the issuance of the mandate.”
“The judgment on demurrer was right, and it is affirmed.”
“There are no other assignments of error, and the decree is affirmed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Not applicable to this circuit-court record.
A historical record
Judge McCamant 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.