William Lee Knous
Judge Knous no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Knous decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
He began statutory interpretation with the enacted text and treated unambiguous language as conclusive.
“If that is plain there is an end to construction, and the statute is to be taken to mean what it says.”
He treated sustained, claim-related local activity as sufficient corporate contact with the forum.
“given any continued local activities the strict requirement of ‘presence’ is satisfied; and that the rest is a matter of more or less.”
He respected tribal self-government where membership rights derived from a tribal constitution rather than federal law.
“the right sought to be established by the plaintiff as set forth in her complaint is not a right created by the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States, but solely by the terms of the Constitution of the Southern Ute Tribe”
Procedural preferences
In administrative review, he enforced substantial-evidence limits and would not reweigh the agency's judgment.
“we are not authorized to substitute our own for that of the administrative judgment.”
He enforced the statutory deadline for removal and would not permit a late amendment to create missing jurisdictional allegations.
“a petition for removal may not he amended to supply jurisdictional averments that had been lacking, after the time in which removal could be effected had terminated.”
At summary judgment he required the movant to eliminate genuine factual disputes rather than rely on competing inferences.
“The plaintiff has not carried its burden of showing no material issue of fact.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, it is ordered and adjudged that defendant’s traverse of plaintiff’s affidavit of attachment be, and the same hereby is denied and dismissed.”
“Ordered and adjudged that defendant’s motion to dismiss the indictment be, and the same is hereby denied.”
“Ordered And Adjudged that the defendant’s motion to dismiss the indictment be, and the same is hereby denied.”
“It is, therefore, ordered and adjudged that the defendant’s motion to quash the service of summons be and the same is hereby denied.”
“It is ordered and adjudged that the plaintiff’s motion for a summary judgment be denied”
“the motion of defendant for summary judgment be, and the same is hereby granted, and the complaint and the claim therein asserted dismissed.”
“Ordered and adjudged that the petition for review be allowed and the cause remanded to the Referee with instructions to vacate the Order of March 12, 1958, here in review, and to enter an order allowing the homestead exemption claimed by the bankrupt.”
“Ordered and adjudged that the plaintiff’s third claim for relief be, and the same is hereby dismissed.”
“Ordered and Adjudged that the defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint be, and the same is hereby granted, and the said action, amended complaint, and the claim therein asserted are dismissed.”
“Ordered and Adjudged that defendant’s motion for summary judgment be granted”
“plaintiff’s motion be denied and the plaintiff’s complaint and the claims asserted therein be dismissed.”
“It is, therefore, ordered and adjudged that the third-party complaint herein be and the same hereby is dismissed.”
“his motion to vacate the sentence is denied.”
“such petition also must be denied.”
“Accordingly, it is ordered that the motion to quash the service of summons be and the same is hereby sustained.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Knous's reported decisions include insurance, bankruptcy, personal jurisdiction, federal criminal procedure, Social Security, tribal membership, federal taxation, and tort disputes. No electronic records are available to quantify his caseload.
A historical record
Judge Knous 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.