Gerald Bard Tjoflat

How Judge Tjoflat rules, drawn from 24 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Position
district
Status
Retired 1975
Served
1970–1975
Appointed by
Richard Nixon (Republican)
Commissioned
1970-10-16
Education
University of Virginia (attended); University of Cincinnati, B.A.; Duke University School of Law, LL.B., 1957
Signed orders read
24

How Judge Tjoflat decides

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

What persuades

In the reviewed social-benefits case, Tjoflat evaluated the administrative evidence as a whole rather than isolating individual pieces that might appear weak on their own.

“when all the items are taken together the evidence upon which the decision was based is clearly ‘substantial’ within the meaning of the Act.”

Cautions

In the school-desegregation litigation, protected opposition did not extend to conduct calculated to disrupt school operations or endanger students and staff.

“that right stops short of efforts, such as those involved here, which are calculated to disrupt the operation of the school system and which jeopardize the safety of the students and faculty.”

Signed rulings

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

Little v. Wainwright
71-554 · 1971-11-08
Petition for writ of habeas corpus (petitioner) Denied

“The petition for writ of habeas corpus is denied and the case is dismissed.”

Peoples v. Wainwright
71-119; 71-163 · 1971-03-16
Request for injunctive relief (plaintiffs) Granted

“defendants and their agents at the Florida State Prison at Raiford shall not open, read, or censor the following described mail:”

Mims v. Duval County School Board
4598-Civ-J · 1971-06-23
Petition for injunctive relief (school superintendent and sheriff) Granted

“Until further order of this Court, no person shall enter any building of the Ribault Senior High School or go upon the school’s grounds except the following:”

Mims v. Duval County School Board
4598-Civ-J · 1972-11-13
Petition for injunctive relief (school superintendent) Granted

“All members of the demonstration aimed at Oceanway School and any other similarly situated persons acting independently or in concert with them are hereby enjoined and restrained from”

Austin v. A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
71-37 · 1972-06-16
Motion to dismiss motion to stay (plaintiffs) Denied

“Plaintiffs’ motion to dismiss defendant’s motion to stay pending arbitration is denied.”

Lyle v. Kincaid
72-405 · 1972-06-22
Petition for writ of habeas corpus (petitioner) Granted

“The petitioner be released from confinement on or before 4:30 o’clock P.M., Friday, June 23, 1972, unless before that time a hearing is requested and scheduled.”

Jacksonville Newspaper Printing Pressmen & Assistants' Union No. 57 v. Florida Publishing Co.
71-274-Civ-J · 1972-04-21
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“For the reasons set out below, the motion to dismiss is granted.”

Lyle v. Kincaid
72-405-Civ-J-T; 72-406-Civ-J-T · 1972-12-19
Petition for writ of habeas corpus (petitioner Lyle) Granted

“the military court had no jurisdiction over Lyle’s alleged offense and the petition for a writ of habeas corpus is granted.”

Petition for writ of habeas corpus (petitioner Seeger) Denied

“Seeger’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus, therefore, must be denied.”

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Container Corp. of America
72-336-Civ-J · 1972-10-13
Motions to dismiss (defendants) Granted

“The defendants’ motion to dismiss is granted and the plaintiff shall have twenty (20) days from date hereof within which to file and serve an amended complaint.”

United States v. Asbell
72-14-Cr-J · 1972-12-13
Motion for acquittal (defendant) Granted

“Since the decision that defendant was physically and mentally acceptable for induction was procedurally defective to the defendant’s prejudice, his motion for acquittal must be granted.”

United States v. Lanza
71-83 · 1972-10-10
Motion to suppress (defendants) Denied

“Ordered that the defendants’ motion to suppress the wiretap evidence in this case is hereby denied.”

Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. v. Butz
70-244 · 1972-10-16
Summary judgment (plaintiffs) Granted

“The plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment is granted and the producer referendum is declared invalid.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No assigned electronic docket was located for this 1970–1975 tenure, so no caseload mix or duration estimate is reported.

A historical record

Judge Tjoflat 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.