James Lowell Oakes
How Judge Oakes rules, drawn from 8 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Oakes no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Oakes decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Oakes treated statutory tolling as turning on whether in-state property could provide the creditor a real benefit, not on the mere existence of contingent insurance coverage.
“The essence of trustee process is to obtain for the attaching party something of value by which to secure the appearance of the defendant and the satisfaction of a judgment against the defendant, if one is had.”
He gave special deference to economic regulation resting on reasonable legislative findings and a reasonably related statutory response.
“When Congress, as here has, as repeatedly pointed out above, made reasonable findings of fact and embodied them in a reasonably related piece of legislation, its decisions are to be given special deference.”
Procedural preferences
Oakes tailored discovery to the demonstrated need, allowing commonly published business data while protecting confidential profit figures.
“plaintiff’s motion to compel answers to oral interrogatories on deposition is granted as to the question of advertising lineage and denied as to profits during the years in question here.”
He evaluated substituted service through practical notice and the insurer's resulting opportunity to defend.
“By having notified Goulet’s insurer, the plaintiffs here have given it the opportunity to defend at least to the extent of its policy coverage.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons stated herein, plaintiff’s motion to compel answers to oral interrogatories on deposition is granted as to the question of advertising lineage and denied as to profits during the years in question here.”
“Accordingly, defendant’s motion for summary judgment is granted and judgment for the defendant may be and hereby is entered, with costs.”
“Accordingly, the complaint, except those portions which seek to recover extra medical expenses occasioned by the delay in plaintiff’s operation, must be dismissed as untimely. The claim for medical expenses must be dismissed here for failure to meet the jurisdictional amount requisite to suit in a federal court.”
“Applicant’s motions to intervene and for a continuance denied.”
“Accordingly, the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, and in the alternative for the convention óf a three-judge court is hereby denied.”
“The Government’s motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim on which relief can be granted is hereby granted.”
“Motion for judgment n. o. v. denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No assigned historical docket was returned, so this profile makes no claim about Oakes's district-era caseload mix, case durations, or docket-wide timing.
A historical record
Judge Oakes 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.