Richard M. Duncan

How Judge Duncan rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Duncan no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
Position
district
Status
Deceased
Served
1943–1974
Appointed by
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic)
Commissioned
1943-07-14
Education
Read law (1916)
Signed orders read
25

How Judge Duncan decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

In Jaben, Duncan treated an investigator's review of a taxpayer's own business records as sufficient personal knowledge for the complaint supporting process.

“knowledge obtained from an investigation of such personal records as the defendant's own bookkeeping record would imply personal knowledge”

Procedural preferences

In Lusk, Duncan treated the statutory removal deadline as jurisdictional and declined to enlarge it despite counsel's claim of excusable neglect.

“I think the court is clearly without authority to extend the time”

Cautions

In Ringle, Duncan tested a wrongful-discharge claim under every potentially applicable state's law before entering summary judgment.

“giving plaintiff the benefit of every theory”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

United States v. Jaben
· 1963-11-08
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“Said Motion to Dismiss is therefore overruled.”

Loftis v. Ribicoff
· 1961-03-22
Social security appeal (plaintiff) Denied

“such findings are hereby affirmed.”

Dugdale Packing Co. v. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co.
· 1972-09-22
Freight damage claim (plaintiff) Denied

“We therefore conclude that judgment must be entered for the defendant.”

Popham v. Jamison
· 1948-07-09
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“The defendant has filed a motion to dismiss and it must be sustained.”

Troyer v. United States
· 1947-11-26
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“said motion to dismiss is sustained.”

Edwards v. Steele
· 1952-08-15
Habeas petition (petitioner) Granted

“The petition is sustained and the writ is granted.”

Bates v. Wilcox
· 1948-06-23
Motion for jury trial (plaintiff) Granted

“Plaintiff’s request should, therefore, be granted.”

United States v. Daily
· 1965-04-22
Summary judgment motion (plaintiff) Denied

“Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment is therefore overruled”

Motion for entry of judgment (defendant Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company) Granted

“the ‘Motion of defendant Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company for entry of judgment settling its liability to plaintiff’ is sustained”

Hallmark Cards, Inc. v. United States
· 1961-12-13
Tax refund claim (plaintiff) Granted

“the amounts provided in such gift certificates were not wages and were not subject to the withholding tax which the defendant imposed upon them.”

Wright v. Lupton
· 1954-02-03
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Denied

“The motion to remand is therefore hereby overruled.”

Cooper-Jarrett, Inc. v. United States
· 1964-02-06
Application for injunction (plaintiffs) Denied

“Accordingly, the plaintiffs’ application for injunction is denied, and the Complaint is dismissed.”

Warner v. Dunmyer
· 1952-09-12
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Granted

“the motion is sustained and the cause is hereby remanded to the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No assigned docket records were returned under two plausible Duncan name variants.

A historical record

Judge Duncan 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.