Robert Andrews Hill
Judge Hill no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Hill decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Hill treated speculative market profits as too remote and limited recovery to the direct cost of the failed transmission.
“I think the claim for damage is too remote, uncertain, and speculative, and am of the opinion that the proper measure of damage is the price paid for the telegram, to-wit, 30 cents, with interest.from the 20th day of February, 1890, to date”
Hill followed controlling federal interpretation when it conflicted with a state court's construction of the same bond-vote requirement.
“This court is bound to follow the decision of the supreme court of the United States in the case of Carroll Co. v. Smith, 111 U. S. 556, S. C. 4 Sup. Ct. Rep. 539, construing this identical clause of the constitution of the state of Mississippi.”
Procedural preferences
Hill required a grand-jury subpoena for telegrams to identify the requested communications with enough precision to avoid indiscriminate disclosure.
“The subpoena should describe the telegrams required to be produced as described in the application, either naming the parties sending or receiving, if stated, and the subject-matter to which they are supposed to relate”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Under this rule I am of opinion that the demurrer to the second count must be sustained, with leave to the plaintiffs to amend their declarations if they shall be so advised.”
“The result is that the demurrer must be sustained, with leave to defendant, to plead over.”
“the writ of injunction will be issued as prayed for in the bill.”
“I am satisfied’ that the offense is sufficiently charged under the section above referred to and under which it is framed, and that the motion to quash must he overruled.”
“I am satisfied that the demurrer to this plea must be sustained.”
“consequently the demurrer must be sustained and the bill dismissed, with leave, however, to the complainant to amend his bill, if he can, so as to avoid the ground of demurrer stated.”
“the objection made to this indictment is not well taken; therefore the motion to quash the indictment will be overruled.”
“The result is that the release prayed for must be refused, and the relator returned to the custody of the sheriff of Panola county”
“I am satisfied that this court has full jurisdiction of the controversy stated in the pleadings, and that the motion to dismiss the cause must be overruled, and it will be so ordered.”
“the complainant has a right to have defendant, and all persons claiming under or through him, enjoined”
“The result is that the demurrer upon the part of the railroad company must be sustained, and the bill dismissed as to it”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reported decisions include bankruptcy, commercial, maritime, railroad, land-title, election, and federal-jurisdiction disputes. No historical docket timelines were available for a broader caseload analysis.
A historical record
Judge Hill 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.