Edward Fox
Judge Fox no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Fox decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Fox treated bankruptcy adjudication as equitable administration and protected a valid present-consideration lien against the estate.
“as all proceedings in bankruptcy are based on principles of equity”
Fox read the development of maritime law as increasingly protective of seamen's earned wages after casualty.
“the spirit of the modern decisions is favorable to the claims of seamen for their wages”
Procedural preferences
Fox confined attorney-client privilege to confidential client communications, not an attorney-agent's own acts or facts learned from other sources.
“Information derived or obtained from other persons or sources is not privileged.”
Fox expected a properly instructed lookout to monitor both immediate hazards and whether a tow followed its tug's course.
“a suitable lookout, attentive to his duties, would have prevented the disaster.”
Cautions
Fox treated an assault on the person steering a vessel as categorically dangerous because it jeopardized everyone aboard.
“An assault upon the man at the wheel is never justifiable, for in such a case the lives of all are put in jeopardy.”
Fox denied discharge when business books omitted a material transfer and left assignees unable to reconstruct what the estate was owed.
“The books afford no information upon this subject to the assignees or creditors”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“constituted a valid and legal incumbrance on the property mortgaged to the extent of the amount due upon said mote and was not in fraud of any of the provisions of the bankrupt act”
“The decision of the register is approved.”
“The action of the as-signee in relation to the policy of John E. Sawyer, in declining to exempt the same, is therefore approved and affirmed.”
“doth order and decree that the petition of said John W. Ramsdell be dismissed, he having relinquished and surrendered any right he might otherwise have had to the cornet under the bill of sale to him from the bankrupt, bearing date June 5, 1872, but without costs to either party.”
“The result therefore is, bill dismissed without costs.”
“exceptions taken by said Goodell to the amount .allowed for his personal services in behalf of the firm creditors of Treat & Company by the said register in his report, be sustained”
“Debts of respondents disallowed.”
“In the opinion of the court, the proof of the firm debt must be postponed until the separate creditors are paid.”
“said assignees are not entitled to receive any part of that premium so paid for the first quarter of the second.year, as the entire sum of one hundred and fifty dollars had never been paid for premiums for said second year, and the case is not brought *1077within the provisions of the statute. The as- ¡ signees are entitled to receive from said ad- j ministrator, the excess of premiums over one : hundred and fifty dollars so paid for the first i year.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level docket record was returned for Fox's 1866-1881 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Fox 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.