Edward Coke Billings
How Judge Billings rules, drawn from 17 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Billings no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Billings
Edward Coke Billings was a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Appointed by President Ulysses Grant, Judge Billings was commissioned to the United States District Court for the District of Louisiana on February 10, 1876 and reassigned to this court on March 3, 1881. Judge Billings served until death on December 1, 1893.
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
Billings denied general injury damages caused by the deckhand’s own inexperience but awarded $90 in cure expenses.
“Leave to make the proposed amendment is granted.”
Billings entered judgment for both macaroni cargo claimants after the ship failed to prove a sea-peril defense.
Billings dismissed a wrongful-death claim against the vessel master but entered a $2,500 judgment against the vessel owner.
Billings awarded a mate his earned wages despite his departure from the vessel after a payment dispute.
Billings awarded one-twelfth of the salved value, dismissed a cargo shipper’s intervention, and apportioned costs.
Billings directed a defense verdict in a customs-duty dispute involving merchandise withdrawn from bond.
Billings sustained a jurisdictional exception because an annual fleet-supply contract was not essentially maritime.
Billings entered judgment for coal suppliers because the charterers possessed command and control of the vessel.
Billings gave necessary general-average and preservation expenditures priority, then distributed the remaining proceeds to bottomry holders.
Billings overruled a misjoinder exception and allowed passenger claimants to proceed together against the vessel.
Billings entered judgment for the libelant after refusing usage evidence that contradicted an unambiguous contract term.
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The surviving decisions emphasize admiralty injury, cargo loss, salvage, maritime contracts and liens, seamen’s wages, and vessel-related jurisdiction. This publication-selected historical set cannot support a career-wide caseload estimate.
A historical record
Judge Billings 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.