Isaac Melson Meekins

How Judge Meekins rules, drawn from 13 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
Position
district
Status
Deceased
Served
1925–1946
Appointed by
Calvin Coolidge (Republican)
Commissioned
1925-01-17
Education
Wake Forest College, A.B. (1896)
Signed orders read
13

How Judge Meekins decides

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

What persuades

In Waring, Meekins treated unauthorized commercial use of a restricted musical performance as unfair competition warranting equitable relief.

“To allow Respondent to benefit financially by Complainant’s work and skill would be an unfair trade practice and equity will enjoin such an effort on the part of Respondent.”

Procedural preferences

In Newberry, Meekins required respect for both federal and state judicial authority when deciding whether a jointly pleaded state action could be removed.

“duty compels equal vigilance to safeguard the separate and, in some eases, the concurrent authority of the state courts.”

Cautions

In Durant, Meekins enforced the requirement of express congressional consent before allowing a damages action against the United States.

“The United States may not be sued in the District Courts of the United States without the expressed consent of the Congress.”

Signed rulings

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

Standard Oil Co. v. Atlantic Coast Line R.
· 1925-07-06
Motion for injunction (Standard Oil Company of New Jersey) Granted

“the relief asked by the complainant, the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, should be granted, and an order and decree will be entered accordingly.”

Seaboard Air Line Ry. Co. v. Lee
· 1926-08-28
Motion for injunction (complainant rail carriers) Denied

“The injunction prayed for must be, and is, hereby denied.”

The Northern No. 30
· 1928-03-14
General average claim (barge owner) Granted

“the libelant is entitled to contribution in general average in this cause”

In re Eby
· 1929-12-14
Bankruptcy appeal (Commercial Credit Company) Granted

“the court upon this question and upon the appeal of the petitioner, Commercial Credit Company, reverses this finding of fact and conclusion of law of the referee”

Bankruptcy appeal (bankruptcy trustee) Denied

“upon tbe appeal of tbe trustee from tbe decisions of tbe referee, bolding that tbe contract and agreement in tbis ease was a Maryland contract, it is considered, ordered, and adjudged by tbe court that tbe decision of tbe aforesaid referee in bankruptcy upon tbis point is sustained and affirmed.”

Garysburg Mfg. Co. v. Pender County
· 1930-07-05
Constitutional tax claim (Garysburg Manufacturing Company) Granted

“the statute of the state of North Carolina assessing and taxing the shares held by complainant in the Argent Lumber Company, a South Carolina corporation, is unconstitutional”

Ramsey v. Home Mortg. Co.
· 1931-01-31
Motion for additional bond (respondents) Denied

“the motion by respondents that complainant be required to give additional bond for costs and damages should be, and the same is, denied.”

Motions to stay (respondents) Denied

“the motion of respondents to stay these proceedings should be] and the ■same is, denied.”

Motion to appoint receiver (complainant investors) Granted

“permanent receivers should be appointed”

Newberry v. Meadows Fertilizer Co.
· 1932-11-05
Petition for removal (Davidson Chemical Company and C. Wilbur Miller) Denied

“the ease should be, and the same is, remanded to the state court”

Bramham v. First Nat. Bank
· 1934-11-21
Claim to cancel instruments (homeowners W. G. Bramham and spouse) Granted

“complainants are entitled to the cancellation and surrender of the instruments — the note and deed of trust.”

Foreclosure cross claim (receiver of First National Bank of Durham) Denied

“I shall sign a decree dismissing the cross-bill”

Currin v. Wallace
· 1937-04-19
Motion for temporary injunction (tobacco-warehouse complainants) Denied

“the prayer for an injunction without notice was refused.”

Constitutional challenge (tobacco-warehouse complainants) Granted

“The Tobacco Inspection Act is not valid.”

Waring v. Dunlea
· 1939-01-25
Motion for injunction (orchestra owner Fred Waring) Granted

“Relief prayed by Complainant allowed, and Decree signed in accord herewith.”

Hampton v. North Carolina Pulp Co.
· 1943-02-20
Motions to dismiss (North Carolina Pulp Company) Granted

“the motion should be allowed and the action dismissed.”

Durant v. United States
· 1943-10-14
Exceptions to admiralty libel (United States) Granted

“The exceptions to the libel and to the interrogatories must be sustained, and the libel dismissed.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No electronic case records were available from which to describe a docket sample.

A historical record

Judge Meekins 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.