Edgar Aldrich
Judge Aldrich no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Aldrich decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Aldrich treated controlling appellate authority as binding even when he had expressly disagreed with its broader reasoning.
“From that extreme view I dissented, but the authority of the case is one by which I must be governed”
In infringement litigation, Aldrich focused on the overall label-and-bottle presentation and its capacity to mislead an ordinary buyer, not isolated differences in names.
“The size, shape, form, and general appearance of the defendants’ label, combined with the size, shape, and dress of their bottle, are well calculated to mislead the casual buyer”
Aldrich required criminal extradition process to preserve the distinction between culpable flight from justice and escape from nonpunitive mental-health custody.
“it would involve forced and fictional reasoning to make a flight of the character of- the one in question the kind of a flight contemplated by the Constitution as a basis for extradition.”
Procedural preferences
Aldrich favored prompt appellate resolution of novel jurisdictional questions and was willing to preserve the status quo while review proceeded.
“I shall adjudge the corporation bankrupt, but, having decided the question speedily upon first impression for the purpose of advancing it without delay to the appellate court, I shall suspend all further orders in this case”
When a plaintiff sought discretionary dismissal after imposing litigation costs, Aldrich required substantial indemnity for work that could not be reused.
“if permission is given, it should be upon substantial indemnity to the defendant.”
Aldrich deferred a local lien question to the state courts while preserving federal bankruptcy control over the property.
“what court could be a more appropriate or suitable exponent of the New Hampshire law upon such a question than the highest court of the state ?”
Cautions
Aldrich would not displace a jury verdict merely because he personally would have reached a different factual result when the evidence was substantially conflicting.
“while I think the finding was wrong, I find nothing to justify me in granting the motion to set the verdict aside.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“is unnecessary, and therefore is disallowed.”
“The petition for discharge is granted, and a discharge should be issued to each individual partner”
“I shall adjudge the corporation bankrupt”
“Demurrer sustained and petition dismissed.”
“The decision of the referee directing that the claim be allowed as an unsecured claim is reversed”
“The order of the referee that the petition of the National Cash Register Company be denied, and that the trustee in bankruptcy take the registers, is vacated”
“The proceedings are dismissed.”
“The petition is dismissed, and the petitioning creditors except.”
“therefore not to be held by the trustee in bankruptcy for the benefit of the creditors.”
“The injunction is so far modified”
“The motion of the trustee that the lien claim be adjudicated by this court is stayed for the present”
“The plea in abatement is overruled, and the motion to amend is granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level docket record was returned for this 1891-1921 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Aldrich 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.