John McNairy
How Judge McNairy rules, drawn from 12 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge McNairy no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge McNairy decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
McNairy treated mandamus as available when the law supplied a clear right but no other remedy.
“where the law has given a clear right, and no remedy exists, the respective courts will interfere by mandamus and see that justice and law is administered.”
Procedural preferences
McNairy would not let a witness’s later-acquired interest deprive a party of testimony the party previously had a right to obtain.
“the witness shall not be permitted, by his own act, or the act of the party against whom he is called, to deprive him of that right.”
Cautions
McNairy required statutory registration before a deed could convey legal title or be admitted in evidence.
“The Act of 1715 requires the deed to be registered before a legal estate is vested in the grantee.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
McNairy discussed whether damages for breach of a land-quality covenant should be measured at conveyance or verdict, but the surviving report states no disposition.
“I can have no hesitation in granting the mandamus.”
“Therefore M'Gaughey is no more entitled to the issue of the negro woman, born while he had her in possession, than if he had hired her for one year.”
“It seems to me, therefore, that in cases of injunctions, like the present, where the complainant has to swear to his bill, the rule does not apply.”
“I am of opinion that this case comes fairly within the spirit and meaning of it.”
“The deed can not be read in evidence. And the plaintiffs were nonsuited.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level docket records are available for this nineteenth-century tenure, so the profile makes no claim about caseload mix, duration, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge McNairy 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.