William Henry Hunt

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit circuit Retired 1928 · served 1911–1928 Appointed by William Howard Taft (Republican) 25 signed orders read

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

How Judge Hunt decides

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

What persuades

Hunt reversed a conviction when the evidence did not establish the defendant's participation beyond the acts of others.

“the evidence was insufficient to justify her conviction”

He recognized the superior equitable claim of a customer seeking identifiable securities from a bankrupt broker's estate.

“the superior equities of one in a position such as Burch occupies herein”

Procedural preferences

Hunt deferred to a district court's refusal to issue a preliminary injunction when substantial defenses required a full evidentiary record.

“We are of opinion that the District Court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to issue preliminary injunction”

He declined to decide a theory that the parties had not presented to the trial court or bankruptcy master.

“That question, however, was not presented, to the District Court nor to the master.”

Cautions

Hunt warned against finally dismissing a fraud claim on inference alone before the defendants answered and a factual record developed.

“danger of wrong to result from a final determination of the cause up*525on mere inference without proof.”

Signed rulings

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

Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Blum
· 1919-07-07
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“the judgment is reversed, with directions to grant a new trial.”

Noyes v. Wood
· 1917-11-19
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“Reversed.”

United States v. Ash Sheep Co.
· 1918-12-02
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Parker v. Stebler
· 1917-03-19
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“The decree is affirmed.”

Skagit County v. Puget Mill Co.
· 1918-04-01
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Cobb v. MacDonald-Wiest Logging Co.
· 1920-07-06
Appeal (appellant) Moot / procedural

“The petition is dismissed, at petitioner’s costs.”

Whiteside v. United States
· 1919-05-05
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Wong Goon Let v. United States
· 1917-10-15
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“No ground for reversal being shown, the judgment is affirmed.”

Owens v. United States
· 1925-11-02
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Benetazzo v. Bonham
· 1927-05-23
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Ruckstell Sales & Manufacturing Co. v. Perfecto Gear Differential Co.
· 1926-08-02
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

United States v. Thomas
· 1924-03-28
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Not applicable to this circuit-court record.

A historical record

Judge Hunt 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.