Walter Irving McCoy

How Judge McCoy rules, drawn from 5 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)
Position
District judge
Status
Deceased
Served
1914–1918
Appointed by
Woodrow Wilson (Democratic)
Commissioned
October 2, 1914
Education
Harvard University, A.B., 1882; Harvard University, A.M., 1886; Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1886
Signed orders read
5

About Judge McCoy

Walter Irving McCoy was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (Supreme Court of the District of Columbia). Appointed by President Woodrow Wilson, Judge McCoy received a commission on October 2, 1914. Judge McCoy left the court on May 31, 1918 on appointment to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (Supreme Court of the District of Columbia).

How Judge McCoy decides

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

What persuades

In Jackson v. District of Columbia, McCoy permitted testimony that a standard manhole cover had long been used safely as evidence of reasonable care. He did not treat that evidence as conclusive.

“there was no error in admitting the testimony as evidence of the exercise of reasonable care.”

He took judicial notice that ergonomically shaped tool handles were old and varied when assessing claimed patent novelty.

“The court will take judicial notice of the fact that tool handles designed to fit the hands are very old and of infinite variety”

Cautions

He held a plaintiff to the statutory-bond theory expressly pleaded rather than recasting the instrument as a voluntary bond.

“the declaration counts specifically upon a statutory bond.”

Signed rulings

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

In re Minor
· 1917-01-02
Patent appeal (patent applicant) Denied

“The decision of the Assistant Commissioner of Patents is affirmed.”

Kane v. Podlesak
· 1918-05-06
Patent appeal (patent applicant) Denied

“The decision of the Commissioner is affirmed. Affirmed.”

In re Martin
· 1918-12-02
Patent appeal (patent applicant) Granted

“The decision of the Commissioner of Patents is reversed, and the clerk is directed to certify these proceedings as by law required.”

Jackson v. District of Columbia
· 1919-03-03
Appeal (plaintiff-appellant) Denied

“The judgment is affirmed. Affirmed.”

United States v. Faircloth
· 1920-04-05
Appeal (United States) Denied

“The judgment should be affirmed, with costs.”

A historical record

Judge McCoy 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.