John Patrick Hartigan
How Judge Hartigan decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Hartigan treated discovery obligations as enforceable duties and awarded expenses when deponents refused to answer without substantial justification.
“I find that the refusal of Frank Morrow and Earle L. Morrow to answer was without substantial justification”
He applied the Supreme Court's reading of the Public Vessels Act to reject a categorical sovereign-immunity exception in admiralty.
“The opinion in the case of Canadian Aviator, Limited, v. United States, supra, leads me to the conclusion that there is no merit in the respondent’s exceptions”
Procedural preferences
Hartigan directed litigants seeking evidentiary detail toward discovery when the pleading already gave fair notice of the claims.
“he should not be permitted to utilize the motion for a more definite statement and bill of particulars, but should be compelled to look to the procedure for discovery under the new rules”
He deferred a parallel federal dispute out of comity when a state tribunal first needed to determine its own jurisdiction and resolve the pending cause.
“I consider it my duty in courtesy to the state Superior Court to hold in abeyance the plaintiff’s suit until an adjudication of the pending cause in the state court.”
Cautions
Hartigan would not reweigh administrative fact findings merely because a claimant disputed the evidentiary balance.
“the judicial review conferred by § 21 (b) does not give authority to the courts to set aside awards because they are deemed to be against the weight of the evidence.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“I deem it necessary to deny their motion.”
“I direct that judgment be entered in favor of the United States of America against Francesco P. Andreano in the sum of five hundred dollars and costs.”
“It does not seem to me that the motion is proper under Rule 34 and is therefore denied.”
“I consider it my duty in courtesy to the state Superior Court to hold in abeyance the plaintiff’s suit until an adjudication of the pending cause in the state court.”
“Frank Morrow is also ordered to complete his oral examination.”
“They are ordered to appear before the notary public and to answer said questions.”
“Judgment may be entered for the plaintiff enjoining the defendant from further infringement of said Claim 1 of United States Letters Patent No. 2,191,314 and for nominal damages of $1 and costs.”
“The prayer of the government that said Chevrolet sedan be condemned by decree of forfeiture is denied and the libel is dismissed.”
“The defendant’s motion to dismiss is denied.”
“The plaintiff is also entitled to an injunction as prayed for and its costs.”
“I find from the facts and circumstances that the ability of Joshua Lecht to conduct his defense is materially affected by reason of his military service and warrants the court, in the exercise of its discretion, to stay these proceedings against him until further order of the court It is so ordered.”
“The defendant Hyman Lecht’s motions are, therefore, denied.”
“The opinion in the case of Canadian Aviator, Limited, v. United States, supra, leads me to the conclusion that there is no merit in the respondent’s exceptions and they, therefore, are accordingly overruled.”
“The prayer of the petitioner that the certificate of citizenship issued to Bernard Forrest be set aside and cancelled is granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level electronic docket record survives in the reviewed archive for Hartigan's district tenure, so no caseload mix, duration, or motion-timing summary is available.
Put Judge Hartigan's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Hartigan actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Hartigan's own signed orders and cites them.