Samuel Prentiss
Judge Prentiss no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Prentiss decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
He read statutory protection for an attachment lien to require an effective remedy, not merely formal preservation.
“the act must be so construed as to give full effect to the lien and secure to the creditor the full benefit of it.”
Procedural preferences
When substantial doubt remained and review was available, he was willing to certify the question rather than make his view practically unreviewable.
“I never wish the rights of any party to be conclusively bound by my opinion, when there is any way open for an appeal to a higher tribunal”
Cautions
He limited a stakeholder-lawyer's recovery to ordinary costs and actual expenses to avoid creating incentives to prolong litigation.
“might be tempted to raise'questions and protract the suit for the sake of professional profit”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“it seems to be a proper discharge of my duty to grant the injunction;”
“a petition for the benefit of the bankrupt law, presented and filed on the 3d -of March, the day the law was repealed, was too late, and that no order could be taken upon the petition other than to dismiss it.”
“a decree will be entered, that the balance of the fund in his hands, as reported and thus adjusted, be paid to the assignee.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No case-level docket record was returned for this 1842-1857 tenure. The profile therefore makes no claim about caseload mix, case duration, administrative dispositions, or motion timing.
A historical record
Judge Prentiss 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.