Oscar Hirsh Davis

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit circuit Retired 1988 · served 1982–1988 Appointed by John F. Kennedy (Democratic) 25 signed orders read

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

How Judge Davis decides

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

What persuades

Davis enforced a contractor's duty to inquire when solicitation language contained an obvious conflict.

“The existence of a patent ambiguity in the contract raises the duty of inquiry, regardless of the reasonableness of the contractor’s interpretation.”

He reversed summary judgment when material evidence was not viewed in the nonmovant's favor.

“The trial court failed to consider this material and interpret it in a light most favorable to Zerpa.”

Procedural preferences

Davis generally declined to consider issues that could have been, but were not, presented to the personnel board.

“The usual rule is that a petitioner cannot raise before this court an issue which could have been, but was not, raised before the MSPB.”

He remanded when the record was too incomplete to support meaningful review of preliminary relief.

“Because we do not have before us a proper record on which to conduct an adequate appellate review on the merits of this case, the action must be remanded for further proceedings.”

Cautions

Davis distinguished a weak but colorable appeal from one warranting sanctions.

“TVI has raised a colorable, albeit weak, argument that was not raised in bad faith.”

He treated an administrative tribunal's remedial authority as limited to powers Congress actually granted.

“Those powers do not include, in this situation, authority to aid an attorney whose “prevailing party” client has expressly agreed not to ask attorney fees from the MSPB.”

Signed rulings

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

Tirado v. Department of the Treasury
· 1985-03-13
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

Simmons v. Merit Systems Protection Board
· 1985-07-18
Petition for review (petitioner) Granted

“REVERSED AND REMANDED.”

Thomson v. Merit Systems Protection Board
· 1985-09-11
Petition for review (petitioner) Granted

“VACATED AND REMANDED.”

Block v. U.S. International Trade Commission
· 1985-11-29
Petition for review (petitioner) Moot / procedural

“Appeal Dismissed.”

Baker v. Office of Personnel Management
· 1986-01-28
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“Dismissed in part and affirmed in part.”

DePauw v. U.S. International Trade Commission
· 1986-01-30
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“Affirmed.”

Zumerling v. Marsh
· 1986-02-10
Appeal (appellant) Granted

“Reversed.”

Boese v. Department of the Air Force
· 1986-02-19
Petition for review (petitioner) Granted in part

“AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART AND REMANDED.”

Thomas v. General Services Administration
· 1986-06-18
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

Dysthe v. Department of Transportation
· 1986-06-30
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

Syntex Ophthalmics, Inc. v. Novicky
· 1986-07-02
Appeal (appellant) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

Duncan v. Merit Systems Protection Board
· 1986-07-22
Petition for review (petitioner) Denied

“AFFIRMED.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Not applicable to this circuit-court record.

A historical record

Judge Davis 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.