George Washington English
How Judge English rules, drawn from 6 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge English no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge English decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
English rejected a fraudulent-joinder theory where the pleaded facts gave the plaintiff a reasonable basis to pursue the resident employee together with the railroad.
“there can be no fraudulent joinder of defendants, where the plaintiff has a bona fide belief in the facts upon which he biases his claim for a joint recovery”
In the railroad-lien dispute, English read the state statute according to when each lien actually attached and treated the construction lien as prior to the mortgage lien.
“It is therefore the opinion of the court that mechanic’s lien in this case is entitled to priority in payment over the mortgage held by the trustee to secure payment of the bonds issued by the railroad company.”
Cautions
A removing party's allegation of fraudulent joinder was insufficient where the state statute supplied a plausible joint claim against the resident railroad employee.
“it cannot be said, at this time, that the plaintiff has no cause of action against the defendant Macey”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
English decided that a railroad construction company's mechanic's lien had priority over an earlier recorded mortgage. The opinion resolves the principal lien-priority question raised by exceptions to a master's report but does not identify which exception or motion was granted, so it is excluded from outcome counts.
“for the reasons herein assigned the cause is remanded to the circuit court of Clark county, 111., for trial.”
“The motion to strike the plea in abatement from the files is overruled, and the plea in abatement sustained.”
“For the reasons assigned, this cause is remanded to the circuit court of Clark county, 111.”
Following trial under the War Risk Insurance Act and Tucker Act, English found that two policies remained in force when the soldier died and that his sister was entitled to their proceeds. The court deferred entry of judgment, and no motion outcome is counted.
After trial on an Hours of Service Act charge, English found an unforeseen mechanical failure brought the railroad within the statutory exception and entered judgment for the railroad. The decision is a trial judgment rather than a ruling on a party motion.
“My judgment is, at this time, that the motion to dismiss the petition for review should be allowed.”
A historical record
Judge English 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.