Alfred Dickinson Barksdale

How Judge Barksdale rules, drawn from 21 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Barksdale no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Position
district
Status
Deceased
Served
1940–1972
Appointed by
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic)
Commissioned
1940-02-05
Education
Virginia Military Institute, B.S. (1911); University of Virginia School of Law, LL.B. (1915)
Signed orders read
21

How Judge Barksdale decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

When an enforcement application sought a lawyer's client identity and related information, Barksdale treated a proven confidential legal engagement as sufficient justification for withholding both.

“From the facts found, this court concludes that, in this instance, the attorney-client privilege existed, protects Harvey, and constitutes legal justification for his refusal to reveal the identity of his client, or to give other information sought by the National Labor Relations Board in its subpoena duces tecum served upon him.”

Procedural preferences

In overlapping patent proceedings, Barksdale favored pausing the infringement action until the specialized administrative interference process reached final judgment.

“It is therefore my conclusion that this action should be stayed until the Interference Proceeding has been prosecuted to final judgment.”

Cautions

For remission of a vehicle forfeiture, Barksdale applied the statutory inquiry requirement strictly when the owner had a liquor-law reputation, even though the lienholder acted in good faith.

“By the plain terms of the statute, where the owner, at the time of the creation of the lien, had either a record or reputation of violating the liquor laws, the absolute duty is imposed’upon the claimant to make the inquiry prescribed' by the statute.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

McDaniel v. Cohen
· 1968-06-12
Social security disability claim (claimant) Granted

“an order will be entered directing the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare to establish the period of disability and grant the disability insurance benefits to which he would have been entitled had his application of October 15, 1963 been approved.”

Motion for attorneys fees (claimant's attorneys) Granted

“On this basis, it is my conclusion that 20 percentum of $9,118.00, the total of the accrued benefits due plaintiff and his family, is a fair fee to be paid to plaintiff’s two attorneys for their legal services rendered in this court, which 20 percentum amounts to $1,823.60.”

Egerton v. R. E. Lee Memorial Church
· 1967-09-15
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“It follows that an order will be entered granting the defendant’s motion to dismiss the complaint.”

Durham v. Fitzharris
· 1967-06-26
Wrongful death claim after bench trial (plaintiffs) Granted

“I further conclude, as a matter of law, that the administrators of Cynthia Durham are entitled to recover of Michael Fitzharris the sum of $20,000.-00 in damages for her death by wrongful act.”

Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Michigan Mutual Liability Co.
· 1966-09-01

Barksdale allocated primary and excess uninsured-motorist coverage among three insurers after a stipulated-facts hearing.

National Labor Relations Board v. Harvey
· 1966-02-15
Application to enforce subpoena (National Labor Relations Board) Denied

“It follows that the application of National Labor Relations Board for an order requiring Harvey to appear before this court and the Regional Director of the Board and there produce the documents described in their subpoena duces tecum and give testimony in connection therewith, will be denied, the rule to show cause will be discharged, and the subpoena duces tecum will be quashed.”

National Labor Relations Board v. Harvey
· 1966-02-15

This companion judgment entry formally denied the same subpoena-enforcement application resolved in the separately published findings and conclusions.

Gray v. Celebrezze
· 1965-09-21
Social security disability claim (claimant) Granted

“It therefore follows that the decision of the Secretary herein denying plaintiff’s application for benefits under the Act, will be reversed.”

Motion for attorneys fees (claimant's counsel) Granted

“As it appears to me that twenty five percent of the total of the past due benefits to which this claimant is entitled would be reasonable compensation for the services of plaintiff’s counsel rendered herein, such a determination and allowance will be included in the order entered herein.”

Childers Foods, Inc. v. Rockingham Poultry Marketing Co-op, Inc.
· 1962-04-21
Motion to stay pending patent interference (party seeking a stay) Granted

“It is therefore my conclusion that this action should be stayed until the Interference Proceeding has been prosecuted to final judgment.”

Stilwell v. United States
· 1957-05-23
Tax refund claim after bench trial (plaintiff taxpayers) Denied

“It follows that an order will be entered dismissing this consolidated action at the costs of the plaintiffs.”

Botts v. Shenandoah Life Insurance
· 1954-12-03
Motion for judgment on pleadings (defendant insurer) Granted

“I am satisfied that defendant’s motion for a judgment on the pleadings must be granted.”

White v. United States
· 1954-09-08
Veterans insurance benefits claim after bench trial (plaintiff beneficiary) Granted

“the plaintiff is entitled to recover of the defendant the full benefits due and payable under the contracts of life insurance sued upon”

Motion for attorneys fees (plaintiff's attorneys) Granted

“I find as a fact that a reasonable fee to be paid to said attorneys is an amount eqdal to ten percentum of the amount recovered.”

Ayers v. Hobby
· 1954-07-02
Social security survivors benefits claim (widow and child) Granted

“It therefore follows that an order will be entered reversing the decision of the Administrator in this case and directing that plaintiffs be accorded a widow’s current and child’s insurance benefits as provided in the Act.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The reviewed decisions predate representative electronic case-level dockets. The profile therefore makes no claim about complete caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.

A historical record

Judge Barksdale 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.