Roy Laverne Stephenson
Judge Stephenson no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Stephenson decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Stephenson treated a supported prospect of disruption as sufficient to sustain school regulation, without requiring proof that disruption had already occurred.
“if, under the circumstances, a disturbance in school discipline is reasonably to be anticipated, actions which are reasonably calculated to prevent such a disruption must be upheld by the Court.”
He found triable estoppel issues where repeated settlement assurances could have induced unsophisticated claimants to delay filing.
“the papers and pleadings now before it, when taken as a whole, generate fact questions to be determined by the trier of fact.”
Procedural preferences
Stephenson viewed interlocutory appeals as exceptional tools reserved for cases where they could avoid substantial litigation.
“This section must be sparingly applied. It is to be used only in exceptional cases where an intermediate appeal may avoid protracted and expensive litigation.”
On state-law questions, he followed the state supreme court's latest interpretation even when an earlier federal decision pointed the other way.
“The most recent decisions of the Iowa Supreme Court, however, preclude the use of § 617.3 to gain jurisdiction of a party where the affirmative acts of negligence relied upon b,y the plaintiff occurred before the effective date of the statute, July 4, 1963.”
Cautions
A limitations defense may fail at summary judgment when the record supports equitable estoppel based on an insurer's settlement conduct.
“a trier of fact could conclude that defendants are es-topped from asserting the bar of Iowa Code Annotated § 614.1.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The plaintiffs’ request for an injunction and nominal damages are denied.”
“It is ordered that the motion of the defendant, Stephen Lynn Smith, filed November 26, 1965, to dismiss the indictment filed against him be and is hereby denied.”
“Count II of the indictment herein fails to state all of the elements of the offense. It therefore fails to charge an offense under the statute and must be dismissed.”
“Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is denied.”
“It is ordered that the motion of defendant International Telephone and Telegraph Company to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction should be and is hereby granted.”
“It is ordered that the motion of Eugene P. Foley, Administrator, Small Business Administration, an agency of the United ■States, to dismiss be granted.”
“It is Ordered that defendant and third party plaintiff Aluminum Company of America’s motion for summary judgment on its third party complaint against J. M. Foster Co., Inc., be and the same is hereby denied.”
“It is therefore ordered that notwithstanding the verdict of the jury, the judgment thereon is vacated and judgment is hereby entered in favor of the defendant on plaintiff’s claim.”
“It is ordered that the motion of the defendant Leo Kubik to suppress statements made by said defendant prior to his arrest is hereby denied.”
“It is further ordered that the motion of the defendant Leo Kubik to suppress evidence in the form of ‘(29) bottles of liquor’ is denied.”
“It is further ordered that the part of this action which is brought against W. M. Tynan and Company be and is hereby dismissed.”
“It is further ordered that the motion of the defendant, New York .Central Railroad Company, filed September 23, 1965, to dismiss the complaint or to quash the service of process upon it be and is hereby denied.”
“It is further ordered that the motion of the defendant, Morris E. Ellis, filed October 6, 1965, to dismiss the complaint or to quash the service of process upon it be and is hereby denied.”
“It is ordered that defendants’ motion for summary judgment be and is hereby denied.”
“It is ordered that the motion of the defendants herein to dismiss the complaint of Manvel Craig McGuire be and is hereby sustained.”
“It is ordered that the motion of the United States be and is hereby sustained.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No electronic case-level docket exists for Stephenson's district tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about complete caseload mix, duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Stephenson 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.