John McDuffie
Judge McDuffie no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge McDuffie decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
He treated a worker's actual duties aboard a vessel as controlling over the mixed and irregular nature of the worker's other employment.
“the said Rufus. Daffin at the time of the said accident or injury was a member of the crew of the said vessel”
He viewed injunctions as forward-looking remedies and required a reasonable likelihood of future violations rather than punishment for past conduct.
“The purpose of an injunction is not to punish a guilty party for past violations, but to prevent his future noncompliance with the law.”
He treated work directly improving navigability as maritime rather than local in character.
“the project was clearly maritime in its nature”
He construed Social Security status rules to avoid penalizing children where a long, good-faith marital relationship supported legitimacy.
“This is not a strained construction of the law, but, in my opinion, simple justice.”
Procedural preferences
He measured the amount in controversy by the direct pecuniary consequence of the requested judgment.
“the test for determining the amount in controversy is the pecuniary result to either party which the judgment would directly produce.”
In bankruptcy, he used equitable authority to reject a claimed lien where the lender's own accounting showed the secured loan had been overpaid.
“this Court, clothed with its equity jurisdiction in bankruptcy, should hold and does hold that in equity and good conscience the claim of a lien is denied.”
He would grant equitable rescission even when a legal remedy existed if that remedy depended on the opposing party's choices.
“A remedy at law cannot be adequate if its adequacy depends upon the will of the opposing party.”
He declined to expand statutory liability beyond the relationship Congress expressed in the text.
“this court cannot read such into its language.”
Cautions
Property used for the primary purpose of violating internal-revenue laws was forfeitable even if the driver planned an innocent stop afterward.
“This was the primary purpose of the trip and in carrying out this purpose, Hoskins’ movements were facilitated by use of. the Buick automobile.”
A timely administrative claim and denial could satisfy the disagreement requirement for all parties sharing the same insurance contract claim.
“If one is paid, all are paid, if one is denied, all are denied.”
The collateral effect of a judgment did not increase the present amount in controversy.
“the collateral effect of a judgment cannot be considered in a test of this court’s jurisdiction.”
Maintenance and cure ended after all reasonably expected improvement, rather than continuing as a permanent pension.
“But when maintenance and cure has brought' about all the improvement to be expected in an incurable disease the shipowner’s liability ends”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The-claimant is not. entitled to a remission of the forfeiture of this Buick automobile, but the same should be ^condemned and forfeited to. the United States of America.”
“the motion for interlocutory injunction as prayed for in the bill of complaint and in the motion of the complainants heretofore filed in this cause should be granted”
“and that said injunction should be made permanent”
“The libel should be dismissed and the appropriate order to this effect is being entered this day.”
“the respondent would be held liable to pay the libelants the sum of $2,-582.48, with interest at 6% from this date.”
“the temporary injunction should be dissolved”
“and the petition denied”
“the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the order of William Cowley, referee in bankruptcy, be, and the same are hereby affirmed”
“they hereby are ordered to turn over and deliver forthwith to Harris C. Vaughn, as trustee in bankruptcy for the Mobile Times, Inc., the sum of $2,356.33”
“the defendant’s motion to dismiss is denied”
“the petition of the Standard Dredging Corporation must be denied and dismissed and that the awards of the Commissioner be affirmed.”
“the motions to remand and to strike the affidavit should be denied.”
“in equity and good conscience the claim of a lien is denied.”
“allowing a claim against the estate of the bankrupt in the sum of only $1,555.25, without a lien or a preferred status.”
“entered a decree cancelling the two insurance contracts herein involved”
“and dismissed counterclaims filed herein by Mrs. Barnett.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The located published decisions cover admiralty, insurance, bankruptcy, tax, removal, worker compensation, wartime property, civil forfeiture, and Social Security. They do not establish the distribution of McDuffie's full caseload.
A historical record
Judge McDuffie 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.