Hiram Knowles

United States District Court for the District of Montana district Appointed by Benjamin Harrison (Republican) 12 signed orders read

How Judge Knowles decides

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

What persuades

The court required an injunction to identify prohibited conduct precisely enough that the restrained party would not have to guess at its scope.

“In reason, it ought not to be left to a defendant to ascertain from what acts he is enjoined.”

Cautions

Public commentary that exerted undue influence on a jury could justify a new trial even where the evidence itself was substantially disputed.

“upon the ground that there was undue influence exerted as to the jury by the objectionable publications hereinbefore referred to, the court will grant a new trial.”

Signed rulings

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

St. Louis Mining & Milling Co. of Montana v. Montana Mining Co.
· 1893-10-02
Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Denied

“the writ is denied, and the restraining order heretofore issued is hereby revoked and dissolved.”

Morse v. Montana Ore-Purchasing Co.
· 1900-12-10
Motion for new trial (plaintiff) Granted

“The verdict is set aside, and a new trial is hereby granted.”

In re Yot Sang
· 1896-08-29
Petition for habeas corpus (petitioner) Granted

“It is therefore ordered that he be discharged from further custody by said Sheriff Jurgens.”

Swigett v. United States
· 1896-11-09
Claim for judgment (plaintiff) Granted

“For the reasons assigned, it is ordered that judgment be entered against the United States for the sum of $699.”

United States v. Blendauer
· 1903-05-18
Demurrer (United States) Denied

“it follows that the demurrer to the defendant’s answer herein must be overruled.”

In re Geiser
· 1904-04-01
Motion to enforce bankruptcy turnover (bankruptcy trustee) Granted

“It is therefore ordered that the defendant, John McGrath, be, and he is hereby, required to pay the said balance of $176.17 to Frederick H. Drake, the trustee of the estate of George F. Geiser, bankrupt, within five days”

United States v. Juen
· 1904-03-11
Appeal of deportation order (appellant) Granted

“the order of the commissioner, Edward C. Russel, that Louie Juen be deported from the United States to China, be, and the same is hereby, set aside and reversed”

Haggin v. Lewis
· 1894-09-21
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Granted

“it is ordered that the cause be, and the same is hereby, remanded to the state court from which it was transferred.”

In re Reynolds
· 1904-02-08
Demurrer (petitioner) Granted

“The demurrer of the petitioner, Denham, to the answer of Strain herein, is sustained.”

In re Maples
· 1901-01-08
Voluntary bankruptcy petition (petitioner) Denied

“the adjudication of Edward R. Maples as a bankrupt be, and the same is, vacated and annulled, and his petition to be adjudged a voluntary bankrupt is dismissed, and the reference canceled.”

United States v. Bean
· 1903-01-31
Demurrer (executrix) Denied

“the demurrers are therefore overruled.”

Whelan v. Rio Grande Western Ry. Co.
· 1901-10-25
Demurrer (plaintiff) Denied

“The order of the court therefore is that the demurrer to said preliminary answer be overruled”

Judgment on the pleadings (plaintiff) Denied

“the motion of the plaintiff for a judgment on the pleadings be denied.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The located decisions span mining, public lands, bankruptcy, immigration, federal compensation, personal injury, and constitutional claims. They do not establish the distribution of Knowles's full caseload.

Put Judge Knowles's record to work

Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Knowles actually rules, not a generic AI guess.

Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Knowles's own signed orders and cites them.