John Christopher Mahoney
How Judge Mahoney rules, drawn from 20 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Mahoney no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Mahoney
John Christopher Mahoney was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Judge Mahoney received a commission on June 7, 1935. Judge Mahoney left the court on February 21, 1940 on appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
How Judge Mahoney decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Mahoney treated an actually paid liability as the practical point at which a cash-basis taxpayer's loss became deductible.
“the. customer sustained the loss when the certainty of loss was definitely ascertained and when the indebtedness was actually paid.”
In patent cases, he required an enabling description and would not allow marketplace success to rescue an otherwise invalid specification.
“The emphasis placed upon the commercial success of the alleged invention cannot cure its invalidity.”
Procedural preferences
Mahoney enforced territorial limits on service over foreign corporations when the action arose elsewhere and the defendant had not consented to the forum.
“The defendant has not consented1 to the bringing of this action in this district.”
He resolved multi-count pleading attacks count by count, allowing viable alternative negligence theories to proceed while rejecting the deficient count.
“The demurrer to the first count is sustained. It is overruled as to the second, third, fourth, and fifth counts.”
Cautions
Mahoney required claimants to carry their evidentiary burden even after overcoming a threshold limitations defense.
“The burden of proof which rests upon the plaintiff to show that he was totally and permanently disabled while the policy of insurance was in effect has not been established.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The demurrer to the first and second plea is overruled and the pleas sustained.”
“The motion of the plaintiff for judgment is granted.”
“The motion of the defendant for judgment is denied.”
“The plaintiff’s demurrer is overruled, and the defendant’s plea to this jurisdiction is sustained.”
“The motion for judgment for the United States of America is granted.”
“The burden of proof which rests upon the plaintiff to show that he was totally and permanently disabled while the policy of insurance was in effect has not been established.”
“The motion to dismiss is denied in each case.”
“The motion to strike out is granted in each case.”
“The motion to strike out paragraphs numbered 38 and 39 of the respondent’s answer is granted.”
“The motion to strike out paragraphs numbered 38 and 39 of the respondent’s -answer is granted.”
“The petition for libel is dismissed with costs to the claimant.”
“The demurrer to the first count is sustained. It is overruled as to the second, third, fourth, and fifth counts.”
“The patent has novelty and utility.”
“The conclusion of the court is that the patent is valid and that the record clearly shows that the respondent is guilty of con-tributary infringement, and should be enjoined from further infringements.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level electronic docket record survives in the reviewed archive for Mahoney's district tenure, so no caseload mix, duration, or motion-timing summary is available.
A historical record
Judge Mahoney 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.