Harland Bradley Howe

United States District Court for the District of Vermont district Retired 1945 · served 1915–1945 Appointed by Woodrow Wilson (Democratic) 10 signed orders read

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

How Judge Howe decides

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

What persuades

He extended constitutional protection from coerced oral admissions to written papers obtained through the same official pressure.

“The same reasons and rules should and do apply, and the fact that the evidence thus obtained is written makes no difference.”

He relied on the location of the immigration inspection to apply the overtime-compensation statute according to its text.

“The intention is plain that payment is required when the inspections and examinations are not made at “designated ports of entry.””

Procedural preferences

He enforced the bankruptcy rule requiring objections to discharge to be filed with the clerk within the specified period.

“Therefore it follows that the objections must be filed with the clerk within 10 days after the “show cause” hearing.”

In forfeiture litigation, he tied Fourth Amendment standing to possession or the right to possession rather than general ownership alone.

“The Fourth Amendment forbidding unreasonable searches and seizures does not apply to persons who are not in possession and have no right to possession of the property illegally searched or seized.”

Cautions

He treated administrative rulemaking authority as power to enforce a statute, not to expand or contract the rights Congress created.

“He is not given authority to enlarge or restrict its provisions”

He viewed trademark protection as attached to an operating business and its goodwill, not as an abstract right held apart from commerce.

“It is a right appurtenant to a business in which it is used, and grows out of its use, but not its adoption.”

Signed rulings

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

United States v. Corinth Creamery, Inc.
· 1937-10-28
Agricultural marketing enforcement action (United States) Granted

“Let a decree be entered accordingly.”

United States v. Central Vermont Ry., Inc.
· 1936-05-11
Overtime compensation claim (United States) Granted

“let judgment be entered for the plaintiff, with interest from the last day of each month in which such services were performed.”

United States v. One Buick Automobile
· 1927-09-06
Motion for new trial (claimant) Denied

“Motion for a new trial denied.”

In re Andrews
· 1916-09-08
Habeas petition (relator) Denied

“her petition is denied, and she is remanded to her former custody.”

In re C. H. Kendrick & Co.
· 1915-10-12
Motion to dismiss bankruptcy objections (bankrupt) Granted

“The motion to dismiss must be granted, unless the time in which to file the objections with the clerk is enlarged in accordance with General Order 32, and that question will not be considered, unless formal motion to enlarge the time is made within 10 days.”

Vermont Maple Syrup Co. v. F. N. Johnson Maple Syrup Co.
· 1921-04-30
Trademark infringement claim (F. N. Johnson Maple Syrup Company) Granted

“The Vermont Company having continued selling the same blend of syrup under the trade-mark “Sugarbird” after the license was revoked, it is not only liable for damages to the-Johnson Company,, but should be enjoined from further infringing the trade-mark.”

Motion for permanent injunction (F. N. Johnson Maple Syrup Company) Granted
Request for accounting (F. N. Johnson Maple Syrup Company) Granted

“Let an account be taken of the damages, and a decree entered accordingly.”

In re C. H. Kendrick & Co.
· 1915-10-12
Bankruptcy appeal (creditor) Granted

“The order of the referee is reversed, and the petitioner’s claim, of $2,500 and accrued interest, is allowed, and an order will be made accordingly.”

United States v. Abrams
· 1916-02-23
Demurrer to indictment (defendants) Denied

“Therefore the demurrer is overruled, and each count of the indictment is adjudged sufficient.”

Serpico v. Trudell
· 1928-11-08
Habeas petition (relator) Granted

“The relator should have been admitted. Therefore he is discharged.”

United States v. Abrams
· 1916-02-23
Motion for return of property (defendants) Granted

“an order will be made that the district attorney return them to the defendants forthwith.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

No case-level docket record was returned for this 1915-1945 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.

A historical record

Judge Howe 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.