Walter Jay Skinner
How Judge Skinner rules, drawn from 23 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Skinner no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Skinner
Walter Jay Skinner was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Appointed by President Richard M. Nixon, Judge Skinner received a commission on December 19, 1973. Judge Skinner assumed senior status on September 14, 1992 and served until death on May 8, 2005.
How Judge Skinner decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Skinner enforced an explicit discovery warning where the promised appraisal was incomplete and the expert responses omitted the required grounds.
“The plaintiff was explicitly notified that strict compliance with the scheduling order would be enforced.”
Skinner treated admitted receipt of the summons and complaint as curing a technical defect in proving service.
“Failure to comply with these provisions is cured by an admission that in fact the complaint and the summons were received.”
Procedural preferences
In a former employees' contract dispute, Skinner gave reduced weight to a Massachusetts forum clause in standard-form agreements presented after the employees had started work. He transferred the case to Illinois after considering the witnesses and the location of the disputed conduct.
“it does suggest that less weight should be given to the clause than would be given to a fully negotiated provision.”
Skinner required a clear congressional basis before treating state-law claims as removable through complete preemption.
“FPI’s right to sue under its chosen theories is protected by the plain meaning of the savings clause.”
Cautions
Skinner regarded dismissal for failure to prosecute as an exceptional sanction, especially where delay caused little actual prejudice.
“The sanction of dismissal is severe, however, and should be resorted to only in extreme circumstances.”
Skinner emphasized that transfer decisions depend closely on the record of the particular dispute.
“These decisions are preeminently fact sensitive, however, and each case must be dealt with on its own.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, the defendants’ motion to dismiss is allowed. The clerk shall enter judgment in favor of defendants forthwith.”
“The motion for summary judgment is DENIED.”
“The motion to bifurcate the patent validity and infringement issues from the antitrust counterclaim is ALLOWED.”
“Accordingly the defendant’s Motion to Set Aside Default is denied.”
“Accordingly, the plaintiff’s motion for remand is allowed and the case is remanded to the Middlesex Superior Court.”
“Accordingly the motion to transfer is allowed, and the ease shall be transferred forthwith to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.”
“Accordingly, the defendant’s motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction is allowed without prejudice and with leave to amend the complaint within fourteen days.”
“Accordingly, defendants’ motion for reconsideration is denied.”
“Plaintiff’s motion for expediting remand is allowed.”
“Accordingly, defendants’ motion to dismiss is allowed.”
“The FDIC is hereby enjoined from removing the automatic teller machine from the premises known as 400 West Cummings Park, Woburn, Massachusetts until further notice.”
“Accordingly the defendant Whiting’s motion to. dismiss Count IB of the indictment is allowed.”
“Accordingly, so much of the counterclaim as relates to U.S. Patent Nos. 3,885,329, 4,062,133 and 4,284,273 is SEVERED and STAYED pending disposition of these claims in the several cases to which they relate.”
“Accordingly, National Credit Union Administration’s motion for substitution as party is allowed.”
“Plaintiff’s motion to remand is denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 2643.5 days (N = 20).
The twenty located historical dockets were all terminated. They included prisoner civil-rights, land-condemnation, contract, securities, statutory, marine, malpractice, property-damage, and benefits matters; the archive is a partial historical slice rather than a complete caseload.
A historical record
Judge Skinner 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.