Walter Maximillian Bastian

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit circuit Retired 1975 · served 1954–1975 Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) 25 signed orders read

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

How Judge Bastian decides

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

What persuades

Bastian deferred to an agency's reasonable choice among competing regulatory interpretations.

“We cannot say that the Secretary’s choice of interpretation was unreasonable and, absent such a finding, we cannot disturb his decision.”

Procedural preferences

Bastian remanded when the record lacked testimony needed for an informed ineffective-assistance determination.

“We hold that the record in the present case, as in Campbell, must be remanded to the District Court so that it may be supplemented by the testimony of witnesses, including original trial counsel, to the end that the District Court may take such action as it deems proper in the light of the testimony.”

He required a concrete showing of prejudice before disturbing a conviction based on joinder.

“Further, no prejudice was shown by the joinder of these counts and, consequently, the court was not in error in refusing to grant the severance.”

Cautions

He treated the limited scope of administrative review as controlling even when the panel might have reached a different result independently.

“While the matter is not free from doubt, and we might well have reached a view contrary to that of the Board, we cannot say, having in mind the narrow scope of our review, that the record as a whole does not support the Board’s determination.”

Signed rulings

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

American Flint Glass Workers' Union v. National Labor Relations Board
· 1956-01-30
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“Affirmed.”

General Drivers Local 886 v. National Labor Relations Board
· 1957-05-09
Petition for review (Teamsters Local 886) Granted

“Order of Board in No. 13,394 set aside.”

Petition for review (Machinists Local 850) Denied

“Order of Board in No. 13,406 affirmed.”

Littlepage v. Hart
· 1957-12-19
Appeal (appellant) Granted in part

“Affirmed in part; reversed in part; and remanded to the District Court for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.”

City Cabs, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
· 1960-01-21
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Zoslow v. Murray
· 1960-02-04
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Helena TV, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
· 1960-02-18
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

In re Virginia Coen Wells
· 1960-05-19
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Puerto Rico Steamship Association v. National Labor Relations Board
· 1960-06-23
Petition for review (petitioner) Granted in part

“The order of the Board will be modified to eliminate the above provisions relating to withdrawal of recognition of the union and the refund of dues and initiation fees, and, as so modified, will be enforced.”

Local 636 v. National Labor Relations Board
· 1961-03-22
Petition for review (petitioner) Granted in part

“Enforced in part; remanded in part.”

Foller v. Overholser
· 1961-05-04
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Division 1142 v. National Labor Relations Board
· 1961-09-12
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Donoughe v. Morgan
· 1962-02-20
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 Bastian 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.