William Francis Riley
How Judge Riley rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Riley no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Riley
William F. Riley was a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Appointed by President Harry S Truman, Judge Riley received a commission on December 27, 1950. Judge Riley served until death on December 29, 1956.
How Judge Riley decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Riley required a summary-judgment movant to eliminate reasonable doubt about every material factual issue and every discernible route to recovery.
“all reasonable doubts touching the existence of a genuine issue as to a material fact must be resolved against the party moving for summary judgment.”
He treated the public interest, rather than private-litigation standards alone, as the measure for statutory injunctive relief.
“The standards of public interest, not the requirements of private litigation, measure the propriety and need for injunctive relief.”
Procedural preferences
Riley directed parties to discovery rather than requiring evidentiary detail in a short negligence pleading.
“Defendant has recourse to discovery proceedings to inform himself in greater detail.”
He enforced the jury-demand deadline even when he believed the case was particularly suitable for a jury.
“the requirements of the rule are not observed. The actual burden on the court in the preparation of the necessary findings and conclusions far exceeds that of the preparation of instructions to a jury.”
Cautions
In Emery, Riley held that the plaintiff’s amended pleading joined separate fraud and oral-contract claims to a nonremovable injury claim, allowing removal of the entire case under the removal statute then in force.
“This carries the entire case to this court. Sec. 1441(c).”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“It is therefore ordered and adjudged that plaintiff’s motion to remand this action to the District Court of the State of Iowa in and for Polk County be and the same is hereby sustained.”
“Defendants’ motion must be overruled.”
“The motion therefore in this respect must be overruled.”
“The present motion to strike will therefore be overruled without prejudice to the defendant of raising such legal questions as above mentioned at an appropriate time during trial.”
“The court sustained the motion insofar as it applied to a preliminary injunction, set the hearing on the permanent injunction at Des Moines, Iowa, for Oct. 26, 1951.”
“The court believes that it is in the public interest that these defendants, because of the attitude that they have consistently displayed toward their obedience to the requirements of the Act, should be enjoined from further violation thereof.”
“It is therefore Ordered that defendant’s' motion for summary judgment herein be, and the same is, hereby denied.”
“the issue of just compensation as to the tracts in question herein shall be determined by a commission of three persons to be appointed by this court.”
“The Government’s motion for judgment should be sustained.”
“It is hereby Ordered that plaintiff’s motion should be and is sustained and that defendant’s couiterclaim be and it is hereby dismissed, without prejudice to proceed independently in the future upon any cause of action then found to exist.”
“an order will be entered denying the motion to set aside the previous order removing this case from the list of cases for trial by jury.”
“plaintiff’s claim must be dismissed with prejudice.”
“Defendant is liable to the plaintiff for the amount of demurrage, and tax claimed, a total of $3133.89 with interest and costs. Judgment will therefore be entered for the plaintiff accordingly.”
“Counsel for plaintiffs are asked to prepare and submit to counsel for the defendant for agreement a decree and judgment consistent with this memorandum of decision”
“The action of the court as disclosed by this memorandum of decision disposes of these motions because it is tantamount to overruling the same.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No electronic case-level docket exists for Riley's tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about complete caseload mix, duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Riley 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.