John Hazelton Cotteral
How Judge Cotteral rules, drawn from 6 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Cotteral no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Cotteral decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Reed, Cotteral inferred creditor reliance from the close connection between a requested financial statement and the subsequent shipment of goods.
“But it was competent to establish the fact by circumstantial evidence.”
In Meyer, Cotteral distinguished ordinary property taxation from a levy on federally protected mining operations that could defeat national policy.
“it would thereby hinder or defeat the means employed by the government in carrying out its policy towards the Indians”
Procedural preferences
In Brown, Cotteral would not allow a conspiracy count to rest on conduct that became punishable only after notice, hearing, and an adverse administrative order.
“It falls short of charging that the defendants had in contemplation any conduct that rose to the seriousness of an offense”
Cautions
In Luten, Cotteral treated rearrangement of known bridge-reinforcement methods as engineering work rather than a new patentable function.
“the varying location and distribution of the bars or mesh became-a matter of calculation and experiment, calling only for engineering or mechanical skill”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“A decree will be entered, dismissing .plaintiff’s bill, at his costs.”
“It follows from the foregoing that the discharge should be denied. It will be so ordered.”
“A decree will therefore he entered to the effect that the Osage Tribe acquired title to the island in controversy as a part of its reservation”
“The demurrer to the bill in part challenges the averments'thereof which raise the question just decided, and the result is it must therefore be overruled.”
“A final decree will be entered perpetually enjoining the collection or enforcement of the taxes involved in the suit”
“A decree will be entered to that effect, and quieting the title of the tribe and the plaintiff, as its trustee, to said portion of the river bed and minerals”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No tenure-bounded docket record was available from which to describe caseload mix.
A historical record
Judge Cotteral 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.