Frederic Dodge

How Judge Dodge rules, drawn from 24 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Position
district
Status
Deceased
Served
1905–1927
Appointed by
Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)
Commissioned
1905-02-23
Education
Harvard College, B.A., 1867; Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1869
Signed orders read
24

How Judge Dodge decides

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

What persuades

Treats the parties’ course of dealing and commercial purpose as evidence that reusable branded containers remained the supplier’s property.

“The evidence seems to me to warrant the conclusion that the charge or credit of 50 cents was regarded by both parties, not as the purchase price of the cans, but as a deposit to insure their return.”

Procedural preferences

Enforces an appellate mandate as final and refuses to reconsider issues already settled by the reviewing court.

“Now that they have been thus settled this court is without power to re-examine them.”

Cautions

Will not permit vague bankruptcy amendments based on conjecture or a hope that later proceedings may uncover an act of bankruptcy.

“The alleged bankrupt ought not to be compelled to meet allegations made upon the mere anticipation that something of the kind may perhaps be disclosed in the course of the hearing now ordered before the referee.”

Signed rulings

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

The Geisha
· 1911-11-21
Petition for turnover of sale proceeds (bankruptcy receiver) Denied

“the receiver’s petition is denied, and the marshal will pay the proceeds of the sale in the regular way into the registry of the court.”

In re Van Wert Mach. Co.
· 1910-03-18
Proof of priority claim (Ernest Fitz Gerald) Granted

“I think his claim is entitled to priority to the amount of $260.”

The C. H. Northam
· 1909-04-29
Exceptions to master report (objecting party) Denied

“The exceptions must be overruled, the master’s report confirmed, and the petitioner ordered to stipulate in the sum of $413.79 as the value of his interest in the vessel.”

In re Blond
· 1910-12-29
Proof of claim (creditor) Denied

“The referee’s order is therefore approved and affirmed.”

In re Corwin Mfg. Co.
· 1910-03-18
Involuntary bankruptcy petition (tax collector) Denied

“The petition is to be dismissed.”

In re Woodman
· 1910-11-12
Petition to reclaim property (National Biscuit Company) Granted

“I must therefore overrule the dismissal of the petition to reclaim, and direct that'it be allowed.”

In re Levy
· 1908-12-29

The court referred the proposed composition for further inquiry and entered no final ruling on confirmation.

In re Lennox
· 1909-03-26
Petition for rehearing (bankrupt) Denied

“The petition must be denied.”

In re Tarbox
· 1910-03-14
Petition for summary turnover (bankruptcy trustee) Denied

“The referee’s order of dismissal is approved and affirmed.”

In re Davidson
· 1907-03-26
Application for examination (petitioning creditor) Denied

“The application is denied.”

The C. H. Northam
· 1909-03-30
Motions to dismiss (claimant) Denied

“The motion to dismiss is denied.”

In re Lewis Shoe Co.
· 1908-10-27
Motion to amend bankruptcy petition (petitioning creditors) Denied

“The petition to amend is denied.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No case-level docket record was returned for Dodge’s 1905–1912 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.

A historical record

Judge Dodge 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.