Walter Evans

United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky district Deceased · served 1899–1923 Appointed by William McKinley (Republican) 19 signed orders read

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

How Judge Evans decides

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

What persuades

Evans applied a strict-construction principle before allowing criminal punishment under a federal statute.

“Before a man can be punished, his case must be plainly and unmistakably within the statute.”

Evans treated a life-insurance policy's exempt surrender value as property that never entered the bankruptcy estate.

“the title to exempt property never passes to the trustee, and we think the surrender value in this case did not pass to that officer.”

Procedural preferences

Evans held that a bankruptcy court must examine the amount and legality of a tax claim voluntarily filed in the case.

“the court has the power, and it is its duty, to examine into any question which may arise as to the amount or the legality of the taxation claimed”

Evans remanded a removed action when the plaintiff had neither waived the venue objection nor submitted to federal jurisdiction.

“There being nothing in this case indicating any waiver by the plaintiff of any question of venue, nor any submission to the jurisdiction of the court”

Signed rulings

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

Amerson v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
· 1920-03-23
Motion to amend removal petition (defendant) Granted

“its motion to file said amended petition for removal should he and it is sustained”

Motions to remand (plaintiff) Denied

“the plaintiff’s motion to remand the case to the Henderson circuit court should be denied and overruled.”

Demurrer to answer (plaintiff) Denied

“the plaintiff’s demurrer to paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 of defendant’s answer should be overruled.”

Perrette v. Illinois Commercial Men's Ass'n
· 1920-06-26
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Granted

“the motion to remand must be, and it is, sustained.”

United States v. Lane
· 1914-03-24
Motion to modify sentence (United States) Denied

“Accordingly in each of these cases the motion of the United States will be overruled.”

Motion to modify sentence (United States) Denied
In re Crow
· 1902-03-22
Petition for review (bankruptcy petitioner) Denied

“The petition for review is dismissed, and the orders of the referee ¡upon the subject approved.”

Samson Cordage Works v. Puritan Cordage Mills
· 1912-03-23
Request for injunction (trademark claimant) Denied

“It results that the bill of complainant must be dismissed, with costs.”

Kentucky Distilleries & Warehouse Co. v. Hamilton
· 1921-06-30
Demurrer to tax refund petition (tax collector) Denied

“we will overrule the demurrer of the defendant”

In re Troutman & Jesse
· 1917-10-15
Petition for discharge (bankrupts) Moot / procedural

“The question of discharge will be determined upon the coming in of the supplemental or amended report.”

In re Pfaffinger
· 1908-10-26
Petition for review (bankrupt) Granted

“For these reasons, the orders of the referee will be reversed and set aside.”

United States v. Louisville & N. R.
· 1907-11-01
Government penalty claim (United States) Granted

“Judgment will be entered for the penalty of $100 and the costs of this suit.”

United States v. Louisville & N. R.
· 1907-11-01
Government penalty claim (United States) Denied

“will, therefore, find and adjudge that the «defendant is not guilty as charged in the petition.”

In re W. P. Williams Oil Corp.
· 1920-04-24
Petition for review (bankruptcy trustee) Granted

“the order sought to be reviewed will therefore be reversed, with directions tore-examine the claim on behalf of the United States, and ascertain the correct amount due thereon.”

Berry v. Mobile & O. R.
· 1915-12-18
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Denied

“the motion to remand should be and it is overruled”

Motion to amend removal affidavit (railroad defendant) Granted

“those amended affidavits may be filed”

Motion to amend removal affidavit (individual defendant) Granted

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No assigned electronic docket sample was available for a historical caseload description.

A historical record

Judge Evans 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.