Harlington Wood Jr.
How Judge Wood rules, drawn from 7 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Wood no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Wood decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A post-verdict acquittal followed when the prosecution offered no proof on an essential element of the charged offenses.
“The Government has failed to prove all the elements of the offense charged in both Counts III and IV of the information”
Veterans obtained retroactive seniority because nearly every employee completing the training program advanced and both plaintiffs later did so.
“Since 99 percent of those fireman-helpers who complete the three-year training period pass both examinations and are promoted to engineer, as a matter of foresight it was reasonably certain that advancement would have occurred.”
Limited preliminary relief was warranted where a powerful private association suspended members without adequate notice or an opportunity to answer the charges.
“The Plaintiffs were not given notice of the charge of misrepresentation made against them prior to the consideration of those charges by the Association”
Procedural preferences
A criminal complaint was dismissed after the government held a defendant for more than one hundred days while trying to strengthen an uncertain case.
“Defendants in custody require priority attention and the Government must diligently proceed or dismiss.”
Bare opposition was insufficient to create a summary-judgment dispute without supporting material beyond the pleadings.
“Defendant Jersey State Bank’s ‘statement in opposition’ is insufficient to resist the motion for summary judgment.”
Cautions
The banks' assurance of prize money did not make them guarantors that a canceled tournament would be completed or that non-winners would be paid.
“The Defendant Banks did not guarantee, the performance of the tournament; they guaranteed only that the promised' prize money would be available to the eventual winners.”
Federal intervention was unavailable where an Illinois rule reasonably left occasional admission of out-of-state lawyers to state-court discretion.
“The Illinois statute is not unreasonable. It is not a complete bar to out-of-state lawyers, but permits their full participation in isolated cases on a case-by-case determination.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Defendant’s Motion for a Judgment of Acquittal as to Counts III and IV of the information against him made pursuant to Rule 29 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, coming on for hearing, the Court being briefed and fully advised in the premises, is hereby Granted.”
“This Court, believing itself to be compelled in the interests of fairness and justice by reason of this unnecessary and extended delay which is ‘incompatible with the presumption of innocence’, hereby allows Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss. However, this dismissal is without prejudice.”
“this preliminary injunction hereby granting to Plaintiffs this partial and limited relief.”
“The Motion of the Plaintiffs for Partial Summary Judgment on the issue of liability was allowed as to the Defendant Greater St. Louis Sports Enterprises, Inc., on November 13, 1973. The same motion is denied as to the Defendant Godfrey State Bank and Jersey State Bank.”
“The Motion of Godfrey State Bank is granted.”
“For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiffs’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on the issue of liability is granted.”
“Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is denied.”
“The relief sought by Plaintiffs is denied, and the Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss is allowed.”
After a bench trial, the court awarded the utility a refund of withholding taxes paid on employee lunch reimbursements; no party motion was classified.
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed decisions include criminal, antitrust, employment, tax, and professional-admission disputes. No electronic records are available to quantify the tenure.
A historical record
Judge Wood 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.