Edward Allen Tamm
How Judge Tamm rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Tamm no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Tamm decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Tamm sustained a comparative carrier selection when the agency's findings had substantial record support and reflected a fair comparison.
“We find that the Board’s order is supported by substantial evidence in the record and constitutes a fair comparative consideration of the applications.”
A statutory alternative route to presidential historical records can coexist with public-records access when both mechanisms further Congress's disclosure purpose.
“the existence of an alternate method of access is completely compatible with Congress’s intent to guarantee that materials from the Nixon presidency were available to the public;”
Procedural preferences
Tamm required an evidentiary hearing when disputed facts controlled whether an agency could disallow regulated costs.
“As there are genuine issues of material fact yet to be determined, and as the interest reimbursement arrangements, on their face, do not violate any FPC regulation or policy, this case must be remanded to the Commission for evidentiary hearings.”
He required agencies to explain the reasoning behind statutory interpretations before receiving judicial deference.
“Because we find that the Secretary did not provide an adequate, reasoned explanation for his decision, we remand.”
When parallel cases between the same parties concern the same contract, the first-filed federal action should ordinarily run its course before a later enforcement suit proceeds.
“this circuit’s ‘first-to-file’ rule mandated permitting Square/La Fera’s suit to run its course before hearing a WMATA enforcement action.”
A civil-contempt finding must account for a party's asserted inability to comply without fault; inability can defeat contempt even when noncompliance is established.
“the court must consider as well Ormont’s inability, without fault on its part, to render obedience.”
Local remedies are exhausted when the local courts fully considered the federal constitutional claims on the merits, regardless of how the motions were styled.
“Under any circumstance, no matter how the motions were styled, the local courts fully considered the constitutional claims on the merits.”
Cautions
He rejected broad prospective relief when the dispute lacked a concrete factual setting.
“Because we find that the district court exceeded its authority in ordering such relief in the absence of a specific factual context, we reverse and remand with a direction that the complaint be dismissed.”
Properly classified information remains protected even if a detail looks small in isolation, and an uncontradicted plausible security assessment supports withholding.
“Exemption 1, however, ‘bars the court from prying loose from the government even the smallest bit of information that is properly classified.’”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For all of the foregoing reasons, therefore, the decision of the District of Columbia Tax Court will be affirmed.”
“Consequently, the opinion of the Federal Communications Commission is Affirmed.”
“We vacate the district court’s order granting summary judgment against appellant, and remand with instructions to remand to USPS for further proceedings.”
“Therefore, we affirm the order dismissing the case without prejudice.”
“We reverse and remand for proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.”
“We agree with the Commission that it has the authority to rectify ministerial mistakes made in good faith and, therefore, we affirm.”
“Therefore, we affirm the Board’s holding.”
“As there are genuine issues of material fact yet to be determined, and as the interest reimbursement arrangements, on their face, do not violate any FPC regulation or policy, this case must be remanded to the Commission for evidentiary hearings.”
“Remand in part; Affirm in part.”
“Accordingly, we affirm.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Not applicable to this circuit-court record.
A historical record
Judge Tamm 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.