Thomas Richard Purnell
How Judge Purnell rules, drawn from 30 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Purnell no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Purnell decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In bankruptcy fee disputes, Purnell tied compensation to work that actually benefited the estate rather than to the amount requested.
“attorneys shall be allowed reasonable compensation for services rendered which were beneficial to the estate. Beyond that point this court has never gone”
Procedural preferences
In Messengill, Purnell stressed compliance with the bankruptcy statute's verified-pleading requirement even while deciding the certified issue.
“This question does not come up in the form required by section 18, cl. c, of the bankruptcy act, which requires all pleadings raising questions of fact to be verified.”
Cautions
In Woollcott, Purnell refused to let a debtor obtain an exemption from inventory acquired through an admitted fictitious agency arrangement.
“The rule in equity that one cannot take advantage of his own fraud is too old and well settled to require the citation of authority.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the foregoing reasons the motion of the defendant is allowed, and the libel herein dismissed.”
“The claim should be admitted in a meeting of creditors of a bankrupt; the amount to be reckoned, less the credit.”
“Hence the petition herein is dismissed, and the petitioning creditors will be taxed with the costs”
“The libel is therefore dismissed at libelant’s cost.”
“The demurrer is sustained, and the libel dismissed, at the cost of libelant.”
“The lock and safe company cannot, therefore, prove their claim as a secured creditor.”
“that the rule be discharged, and the restraining order dissolved.”
“The foregoing decision of the referee is affirmed.”
“the claim of G. M. Davis be not allowed as a secured claim or a claim against the firm of Jones, Raper & Co., bankrupts.”
“They were barred by the statute of limitations, and cannot be proved against the estate.”
“the court allows Messrs. Morrison & Whitlock $150, as a reasonable attorney’s fee, to be paid them out of the fund realized.”
“It is therefore ordered that the petition herein be 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 Purnell 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.