John David Clifford Jr.
Judge Clifford no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Clifford decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Clifford enforced a Miller Act claim for the full amount when the statutory evidence supported recovery.
“the plaintiffs recover of the defendants the sum of $8,185.89, with interest thereon from October 17, 1951, plus costs to be taxed”
Clifford compelled performance of collectively bargained arbitration obligations on summary judgment.
“specific performance of the arbitration clauses of the collective bargaining agreement be, and hereby is, Granted.”
Procedural preferences
Clifford denied intervention when the application was untimely under both branches of Rule 24.
“the application for intervention was not timely made under the provisions of either Rule 24(a) (2) or 24(b) (2).”
Clifford refused third-party practice that would inject issues unrelated to the original complaint.
“The trial of the third-party complaint would involve a determination of issues wholly unrelated to the issues involved in the trial of the original complaint.”
Cautions
Clifford framed the absence of counsel inquiry around fundamental unfairness in the state proceedings.
“there was no “fundamental unfairness” in that Bouchard was without counsel in his last predicament with the law.”
Clifford dismissed an admiralty libel where the asserted agreement was a nonmaritime purchase contract.
“The contract in question is a contract of purchase, and non-maritime in nature.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“That the report of said Commissioner be, and hereby is, in all respects confirmed and adopted.”
“are entitled to a fee of ten percent (10%) of the amount recoverable”
“the Order of the Referee in Bankruptcy dated July 26, 1952 be and hereby is reversed”
“the application for writ of habeas corpus be and hereby is dismissed, and the writ denied.”
“the petition of Harold J. Bouchard for a writ of habeas corpus be and the same is hereby Denied.”
“the Motions to Dismiss filed by the defendants in the above action. be and hereby are Allowed;”
“the petition and supplemental petition for. writ of habeas corpus be, and hereby is denied.”
“the application for writ of habeas corpus be, and hereby is denied.”
“the petitioner’s motion for sum *815 mary judgment on its petition for declaratory judgment be and hereby is granted.”
“the petition for writ of habeas corpus be, and hereby is Denied.”
“the Order of the Referee be and hereby is affirmed.”
“The defendant’s motion for leave to serve a third-party complaint is, therefore, dismissed, without costs.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level docket record was returned for Clifford's 1947-1956 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Clifford 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.