Charles Ferguson Paul
How Judge Paul rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Paul no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Paul decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Paul treated construction supporting extensive interstate military transportation and communications as covered commerce under the federal overtime statute.
“The sum of these activities far exceeds the quantum of activities connected with commerce present in any of the cases hereinbefore cited”
He enforced municipal bonds for an innocent holder and refused to let an administrative body alter judicially enforceable bond obligations.
“The order of the Public Service Commission is a nullity, and the plaintiff is entitled to the declaratory judgment as prayed for”
In construing a charitable trust, Paul relied on the trust's long administration and financial history to find any diversion from the charities negligibly remote.
“this court must find that the possibility of diversion from the charities of the benefit of the accumulated income during the tax years in suit was, at the end of those years, respectively, so remote as to be negligible.”
Procedural preferences
Paul required completion of the administrative review process before exercising jurisdiction over a Social Security challenge.
“this court has no jurisdiction until after the administrative procedures have been exhausted”
He used summary judgment where undisputed facts left no evidence that could separate the alleged injuries or support a material causation dispute.
“The case affords a clear example of the-type of situation for which Rule 56(b) and (c) is designed”
Paul treated effective access to appeal as constitutionally protected when state officials ignored a prisoner's timely transcript request.
“this court finds that the trial court ignored timely requests by the petitioner for a transcript of his trial in order to effectuate an appeal from his conviction.”
Cautions
Paul treated an unfulfilled sentencing promise that induced a guilty plea as a due-process defect, even where the later sentence correctly reflected the governing statute.
“Guilty pleas induced by promises are always suspect, and, where the promises are not kept, for whatever reason, it is clear that a conviction based thereon cannot pass the constitutional tests of due process.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The motion to dismiss may be considered as a motion for summary judgment, and, as such, granted.”
“It appearing that the petitioner is not entitled to the relief he seeks, the petition may be dismissed and this cause dropped from the docket.”
“The relief prayed for may be denied, and this cause dismissed.”
“An order of release may be entered and served, but the execution of the order may be stayed for a period of 10 days after it is served upon respondent”
“Judgment may be entered for the defendant, with costs.”
“The motion for summary judgment for the plaintiff may be granted and judgment awarded in the stipulated amount of $542.10, to be distributed among the nine former employees in accordance with the stipulation.”
“Petitioner’s request for release may be denied.”
“The motions to dismiss are denied.”
“The defendants’ motions may be overruled and denied and judgments entered upon the verdicts.”
“the plaintiff is entitled to the declaratory judgment as prayed for and a proper enforcement order”
“The defendant’s motion for summary judgment is sustained, and judgment of dismissal with prejudice, at the costs of the plaintiff, may be entered accordingly.”
“I hold, therefore, that the Commission is entitled to the injunction prayed for.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed reported opinions span constitutional habeas review, tax, labor, transportation, insurance, bankruptcy, criminal procedure, trusts, and tort matters. This selected corpus is not a complete caseload measure.
A historical record
Judge Paul 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.