Michael Henry Sheridan
How Judge Sheridan rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Sheridan no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Sheridan
Michael Henry Sheridan was a judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Appointed by President John F. Kennedy, Judge Sheridan received a commission on August 30, 1961. Judge Sheridan served until death on August 23, 1976.
How Judge Sheridan decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Knelly v. Celebrezze, Sheridan reversed a disability benefits denial because the vocational evidence listed sedentary jobs without showing genuine employment opportunities for the claimant given his work history and impairments.
“Viewing the record as a whole, the evidence falls short of showing genuine employment opportunities available to someone like plaintiff with his background and condition.”
In Ruddy v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., he granted summary judgment after the plaintiff failed to contradict the insurer’s affidavits with specific facts creating a genuine dispute.
“It is now clear that affidavits can be used to cut through well pleaded allegations.”
Procedural preferences
In Interlego A.G. v. Leslie-Henry Co., he denied a protective order seeking written interrogatories instead of oral depositions because they appeared inadequate for the witnesses and the defendants cited only expense.
“In view of the purpose of the depositions and the business relationship between the witnesses to be deposed and the defendants, written interrogatories seem inadequate.”
In Brennan v. Estate of Smith, he allowed an amendment adding the estate’s administratrix and related it back to the filing date because she had notice and would not be prejudiced by the naming error.
“The administratrix sought to be brought in had notice and will not be prejudiced.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The motion for a new trial will be denied.”
“This memorandum is in support of this court’s order of June 6, 1975, which denied the petition for a writ of habeas corpus and dismissed the action.”
“The motions will be denied.”
“The defendant’s motion for summary judgment will be denied; the decision of the Secretary will be reversed, and judgment will be entered for the plaintiff.”
“The defendant also moves to dismiss because plaintiffs failed to file an administrative claim with the United States as required by 28 U.S.C.A. § 2675. Plaintiffs admit that they have-not filed a claim and that it should have been filed. ... The action will be dismissed.”
“The petition for a writ of habeas corpus will be denied for failure to exhaust administrative remedies.”
“The motion to vacate the order of reference will be denied.”
“Therefore, the complaint will be dismissed as frivolous, pursuant to 28 U.S. C.A. § 1915(d), without issuance of process.”
“Thus, the request for preliminary and permanent injunctive relief will be denied.”
“that the refusal was in furtherance of a restraint of trade. Thus, the court denies plaintiffs’ request that the contracts be declared void as violative of Section 1.”
“Plaintiffs’ contention that the proposed base year volume for the new car wash violates the Emergency Petroleum Act of 1973 and the FEO regulations promulgated thereunder should be dismissed since the Federal Energy Office has primary jurisdiction of the issue, and since the plaintiffs brought this action solely under the Sherman Act which provides no jurisdictional basis for adjudicating such a claim.”
“This memorandum is in support of this court’s order of July 18, 1974, which denied the petition for a writ of habeas corpus and dismissed the action.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 636 days (N = 5).
The five surviving case shells were all terminated and contain no nature-of-suit labels or docket entries. The published writings span criminal, parole, disability, labor, tax, civil-rights, discovery, and jurisdictional disputes but do not establish Sheridan's full caseload mix.
A historical record
Judge Sheridan no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.