Albert Williams Johnson
Judge Johnson no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Johnson decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Johnson would not use summary judgment where the record left material factual uncertainty.
“Courts should be reluctant to summarily preclude a defendant from a proper determination of the issues where any uncertainty of fact exists.”
He treated a bankruptcy referee's fact findings as presumptively correct but reversible when the record made clear that the governing insolvency test had not been met.
“Presumptively a referee’s findings of fact are correct, and they are to be accepted by the judge unless clearly erroneous.”
He confined habeas corpus to custody defects rather than using it to reconsider trial evidence or ordinary appellate issues.
“It is well established that habeas corpus proceedings cannot take the place of, or be substituted for, an appeal.”
Procedural preferences
Johnson declined jurisdiction when a federal action effectively sought appellate review of proceedings in Pennsylvania courts.
“This court has no authority to review as on appeal any procedure or action in the courts of this Commonwealth, and it will not assume jurisdiction where such is the purpose.”
He enforced the statutory separation between agency-order enforcement and judicial review, directing review challenges to the designated appellate court.
“Enforcement and review are two distinct proceedings, provided for in different subsections of the Act of Congress.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the foregoing reasons the defendant’s exceptions to plaintiff’s interrogatories numbered 8, 20, 21, 22, and 23 are sustained, and the said interrogatories need not be answered as stated. In accordance with the foregoing discussion, defendant hereby is required to answer plaintiff’s interrogatories 8, 20, 21, 22 and 23 concerning transactions between November 21, 1932, and February 11, 1938.”
“it is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that the motion to dismiss the action as against John Tully, third party defendant, is denied.”
“The motion of the plaintiff for summary judgment is hereby denied.”
“For the above reasons, it is therefore ordered that the report and audit of the special master upon the report and account of the trustees in the above case be, and the same is hereby confirmed, and all exceptions to the report of the special master be, and the same are hereby dismissed.”
“Therefore, it is ordered that the decision of the referee be, and the same is hereby, confirmed, and the petition for reclamation allowed, and the petition for review be, and the same is hereby, denied and dismissed.”
“It is therefore ordered that the petition for review be, and the same is hereby, allowed, and the decision of the referee in this matter be, and the same is hereby, reversed and vacated, and the claim of Blass-Meyers Manufacturing Company, Inc., be, and the same is hereby, directed to be, allowed as a priority claim in distributing the funds realized from sale of the bankrupt’s real estate.”
“For the foregoing reasons, it is ordered that judgment be and it is hereby' directed to be entered for defendant in the above action, together with his costs herein.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the above action is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, and it is further ordered that the restraining order made in the above case on May 5, 1941 is hereby vacated.”
“And now, December 18, 1941, for the above reasons, plaintiff’s motion to add an additional plaintiff and to amend his complaint, is denied.”
“And now, December 10, 1941, the motion to dismiss is sustained, the petition for review is dismissed, and an exception is granted the petitioner.”
“His petition is accordingly without merit and the same is hereby dismissed and the rule granted thereon discharged.”
“And now this 30th day of March, 1943, the petition is dismissed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The located writings include bankruptcy, habeas corpus, labor, tax, discovery, joinder, and jurisdictional disputes. They do not establish the distribution of Johnson's full caseload.
A historical record
Judge Johnson 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.