Matthew Francis McGuire
How Judge McGuire rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge McGuire no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge McGuire
Matthew Francis McGuire was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Judge McGuire received a commission on August 1, 1941. Judge McGuire assumed senior status on October 7, 1966 and served until death on January 24, 1986.
How Judge McGuire decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Uncontested expert testimony and experimental evidence overcame the usual administrative presumption on a technical patent issue.
“Uncontested testimony by plaintiffs’ expert witnesses leads the Court to this conclusion.”
He used equitable principles to protect a diligent applicant from losing a critical filing date because the original papers were unexpectedly lost in the mail.
“the justifiably unexpected theft or loss of the original documents from the mails should not be permitted to prejudice the rights of a plaintiff not himself culpable.”
Cautions
Equitable relief required standing and an unlawful invasion of a legally protected right; harmful government action alone was not enough.
“Plaintiff has no standing to sue.”
He deferred to established administrative patent practice when the challenger could not show that the agency acted arbitrarily, capriciously, unlawfully, or beyond its discretion.
“The Court, therefore, finds nothing in the action taken by the Patent Office warranting the conclusion that what was done was either arbitrary or capricious”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The defendants’ motion for summary judgment is granted.”
“the motion for summary judgment should be and is granted.”
“Judgment for plaintiff.”
“Counterclaim dismissed.”
“Motion denied for these and other reasons equally controlling”
“Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment granted.”
“The question before the court is not whether or not the plaintiffs’ application is patentable but whether or not the Board of Appeals was clearly wrong in denying a patent.8 I do not find so.”
“the Government’s motion for summary judgment is granted.”
“Motion for new trial denied on all grounds.”
A historical record
Judge McGuire no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.