Ferdinand August Geiger
How Judge Geiger rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Geiger no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Geiger
Ferdinand August Geiger was a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Appointed by President William H. Taft, Judge Geiger received a commission on March 20, 1912. Judge Geiger retired on May 22, 1939.
How Judge Geiger decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Geiger required more than speculative risk before treating a patent licensee as constructively evicted.
“something more than mere apprehension, mere possibility of contest, or mere speculation as to the correctness of a view expressed by some tribunal which does not reach or bind the parties to the license agreement, should be shown.”
Procedural preferences
Geiger treated a prima facie ownership showing as requiring concrete rebuttal rather than a general assertion.
“The objector had made a good prima facie case; and the bankrupt’s assertion that he acted as agent, that the transaction was in the interest of other members of the family, does not amount to proof.”
Cautions
Geiger gave no weight to Patent Office classifications when they did not illuminate whether two structures were analogous.
“any attempt to fortify a contention respecting the analogy between a reference structure — cited or not cited — by taking note of patent office classification or divisions in which a patent may be found, or an application heard and examined, is simply futile”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Bauer patent should be held valid and infringed as to claims in suit; and a decree may be entered accordingly.”
“The plaintiff may take judgment prayed for in each of the eases.”
“The government is entitled to a decree, whose terms may be settled upon five days’ notice.”
“I think plaintiff’s motion should be granted, and an order may be entered accordingly.”
“I agree with the view expressed by the referee and in his disposition of the claim. The order is affirmed.”
“An order may be entered reversing the decision of the referee.”
“An order may be entered overruling the demurrer to the counterclaim, with leave within 20 days to reply.”
“Upon these views the defendant may take a decree.”
“The motion to remand is granted, and an order may be entered accordingly.”
“An order may be entered confirming the master’s renort and denying a discharge.”
“the referee’s order is reversed, with direction to allow the same accordingly.”
“I shall decline to take jurisdiction of the application for the issuance of the writ.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No assigned docket records were returned for Geiger’s tenure, so no caseload mix or case-duration summary is available.
A historical record
Judge Geiger no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.