Seybourn Harris Lynne
Judge Lynne no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Lynne decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Lynne began with statutory text when it supplied a direct answer, rather than using legislative history to complicate clear language.
“But while history illumines the spirit of laws, it has no function to perform in the application of legislation whose language is so plain and simple that all who run may read.”
On deferential administrative review, he treated conflicting medical evidence as a reason to uphold the agency when substantial evidence supported its finding.
“The mere statement of this situation is but another way of saying that there was substantial evidence to support the finding of the Secretary as the trier of the facts.”
He treated an untimely tax election as dispositive where the governing regulation fixed the election deadline.
“It is accordingly held that the election to use Section 22(d) (6) was not timely made and plaintiff is not entitled to its benefits.”
Procedural preferences
When a complaint failed under settled state law, Lynne addressed amendment directly and declined leave where repleading would accomplish nothing.
“It is my opinion that defendant’s motion is due to be sustained and that it would profit plaintiff nothing to have permission to amend his complaint.”
For class litigation, he required a clear class definition early enough to avoid conflicts and uncertainty about the judgment's reach.
“a determination by the Court should be' made as soon as practicable prior to trial whether the action is maintainable as a class action; and if so, the class which would be proper in the light of the present status of the pleadings.”
He analyzed removal by identifying whether the pleading asserted one claim or genuinely separate claims before deciding remand.
“Returning to the bill of complaint, there is asserted but a single claim pertaining to the satisfaction of a single judgment.”
Cautions
Challenges to longstanding agency operations faced a threshold obstacle when Congress committed operational details to agency discretion.
“Congress has laid down in section 9a of the TVA Act, 16 U.S.C.A. § 831h-l, the broad policy to be followed by the corporation in the operation of its multipurpose projects, but it has wisely left to the corporation wide discretion as to the details of operation.”
Lynne resisted turning fact-specific state precedent into a categorical rule and instead tested the classification against the policy language and controlling appellate rationale.
“Absent such a categoric rule, the Court is impelled to follow the rationale of the Fifth Circuit decisions hereinbefore cited, and to find that defendant Warhurst is not an ‘executive officer’ of King Stove & Range Company within the coverage of the policy at issue.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that said motion be and the same is hereby sustained and that said action be and the same is hereby dismissed.”
“The motion of the individual defendant is without merit and is due to be denied.”
“It follows that the defendant and cross plaintiff, Sallie Tannehill, to the extent of $5,000, is entitled to payments of benefits under the policy sued on.”
“It follows that Sparrow’s claim of privilege is upheld and that the motion of proponent, the plaintiff, James E. Folsom, to compel such witness to answer the questions referred to is denied.”
“Plaintiff is not entitled to recover in this action, and the defendant is entitled to a judgment herein.”
“Judgment for defendant will be entered in conformity with this opinion.”
“The Complaint is sustained.”
“That a perpetual injunction issue out of and under the seal of this Court directed to the defendant and his agents, servants, employees, and attorneys, and those persons in active concert or participation with the defendant, enjoining and restraining them and each of them during the life of Matthews Reissue Patent No. 21,053, from directly' or indirectly infringing upon the said patent, or manufacturing, or causing to be manufactured, used or sold awnings embodying the invention of said patent.”
“The petitioner was lawfully entitled to be restored to his said former position of Pipe Fitter Helper A, or to a position of like seniority, status, and pay in the employ of respondent on February 25, 1946.”
“The petitioner is lawfully entitled to be compensated for his loss of wages for 22 working days of eight hours each, viz. from February 25, 1946, to March 26, 1946, inclusive, at the rate of 94^ per hour, based on a forty hour week, or $165.44, less the legal deductions for State and Federal taxes.”
“That the respondent be and is hereby specifically directed, required and enjoined not to discharge the petitioner from such position of Pipe Fitter Helper A, without legal cause, within 52 weeks from February 25, 1946.”
“An order of remand will be filed and entered in conformity with this opinion.”
“It is accordingly held that the election to use Section 22(d) (6) was not timely made and plaintiff is not entitled to its benefits.”
“Defendants’ motion for summary judgment is sustained.”
“It is accordingly ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment be and the same is hereby granted, and that the costs of court incurred herein be and the same are hereby taxed against the defendants.”
“Accordingly, after recomputation, an appropriate judgment will be entered in favor of the plaintiff on this issue.”
“On this issue judgment is due to be entered for defendant.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 862.5 days (N = 20).
A 20-case historical metadata slice filed from 1982 through 1986 contains 20 terminated cases. Contract matters were the largest identified category, but this non-random archival slice does not establish Lynne's career caseload distribution.
A historical record
Judge Lynne 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.