James Arnold Lowell
Judge Lowell no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Lowell decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Lowell treated the objective novelty of a machine or process, rather than the supposed mental step of a skilled mechanic, as the central patentability test.
“The test is an objective one. If the result of an idea is a machine or process involving a new function, or an old function arrived at by new means, the embodiment of the idea is patentable.”
Lowell read immigration legislation to avoid an absurd result that would disadvantage American citizens relative to noncitizens.
“Such a result would be absurd”
Procedural preferences
Lowell allowed separate deposits to offset a joint debt because either joint debtor could pay the obligation and setoff functioned as payment.
“there is no good reason why a debt he owes either of them should not be set off since either defendant has a right to pay the joint debt; and set-off is payment.”
Cautions
Lowell approached federal interference with state government cautiously, particularly after a plaintiff had already chosen the state forum.
“The situation arising when a federal court is asked to interfere with the operations of a state government is one of great delicacy.”
Lowell ordinarily required litigants to exhaust available state procedures before seeking federal habeas relief from state custody.
“The power of- a federal court to interfere with state proceedings is a very delicate one.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“It is hereby ordered and decreed that the order of the referee dismissing’ the petition of Horace J. Martin to establish as a provable debt against said bankrupt estate a contract based upon the purchase of stock with a repurchase agreement, be and it hereby is affirmed.”
“a decree may be entered for the libelant.”
“the motion to amend the plaintiffs declaration must be denied.”
“Let judgment be entered for the following amounts: McKinstrey Company, $44.94; Rhode Island Covering Company, $579; Winter Company, $1,857.60 — -with interest from the date of filing of the petition.”
“I affirm the order of the referee.”
“I rule that the Boston & Maine Railroad is liable for demurrage, but that the rate is not that contained in the charter party.”
“Let a decree ho entered for the plaintiff’ in the sum of $22,401.13, with interest from February 8, 1922.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level docket record was returned for Lowell's 1922-1933 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Lowell 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.