Thomas John Morris
How Judge Morris rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Morris no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Morris decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Baker, Morris treated a permanent structural defect in a ship's hatch as an unsafe working condition for which the vessel was responsible.
“if it is shown that through the negligence of the shipowners they are given an unsafe place in which to work, and the injury happens on that account, and without fault on the stevedores’ part, then the ship should be held liable.”
In Crown Cork, Morris focused on function and interchangeability when concluding that differently named bottle-cap features were only colorable variations.
“by equivalent means, which are called by different names, not different in substance, but with a difference only colorable.”
In The Dauntless, Morris emphasized the heightened obligation of a steam vessel to take all reasonably possible measures to avoid a sailing vessel.
“to exculpate her it must appear that she has done all that was reasonably possible to keep out of the way of the sailing vessel.”
Procedural preferences
In Storck Lumber, Morris applied federal bankruptcy administration despite an earlier state receivership when creditors timely invoked the national statute.
“the national bankrupt law is to govern the administration of the estate of all insolvent debtors who are within its provisions, and supersedes all the state laws having the like object”
In The Dorchester, Morris allowed repair-related agent expenses when they were necessary, reasonable, incurred in good faith, and actually paid.
“Where such an expense was necessary and reasonable, and has been incurred in good faith, and paid, I cannot see why it should be excluded”
In White, Morris avoided deciding the outer boundary of judicial review because the administrative result was correct even on the petitioner's facts.
“It is not necessary to inquire whether this is or is not one of the cases in which the decision of the executive officers is not subject to review by the courts”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“I will sign a decree dis missing the bill.”
“I do not find any fault on the part of the steamship Cretan, and the libel must be dismissed.”
“I find the tug solely to blame for the. collision, and will sign a decree in favor of the libelant.”
“I find that the libelant has made out a case which entitles him to damages.”
“so far as the tug Tormentor is concerned, no case at all has been made out against her.”
“we do not find that the facts proven justify a deqree in their favor.”
“The exception is overruled, and the commissioner’s ruling sustained.”
“The disallowance of the item in Exhibit No. 4, for costs of certified copy of master’s protest, is approved for the same reason.”
“This ruling is well supported by the testimony, and the exception is overruled.”
“I sustain the exceptions to the disallowance of the two last-mentioned items.”
“The injunction will be granted as prayed, with a reference for an account.”
Morris held that Maryland public-works officials were not personally liable merely because an officer or crew member of a state vessel may have been negligent. The available text does not include a final decree on the libel.
“I think that the proof sustains the allegations of the libel and that the libelant must succeed.”
“the exemption claimed out of the partnership assets in the hands of the trustee by the individuals composing the firm cannot be allowed”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No indexed assigned dockets were returned, so no sampled case mix is reported.
A historical record
Judge Morris 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.