John Robert Brown
Judge Brown no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Brown decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Resists disposing of factual disputes on bare pleadings and requires proof before extending or rejecting a legal theory.
“This is another case proving that final disposition of a civil action on the basis of bare bones pleadings is a tortuous thing.”
Requires evidence tying a presumed event to the legally critical period rather than relying on general character or family-contact evidence.
“This was insufficient to prove that Dutton must therefore have died in the critical two-months period.”
Procedural preferences
Orders factual development when a collateral claim raises a substantial constitutional question that has never received a hearing.
“No hearing has ever been held to resolve this factual issue having such potential importance.”
Demands specific factual findings on whether counsel was offered and knowingly waived before accepting a guilty plea.
“We therefore reverse the judgment of the District Court and remand the cause with directions to hold a new hearing for a full development of the facts with particularity concerning the offer of counsel to Molignaro and his asserted' waiver thereof.”
Cautions
A judge may not prosecute a criminal-contempt charge and then adjudicate the same case.
“Judge Hittner, likewise, could not prosecute the contempt and at the same time act as Judge.”
A federal jurisdictional dismissal does not decide the underlying state-law merits and should preserve the claimant's substantive rights where appropriate.
“Our ruling today is without prejudice to the rights of Buchanan to enforce his substantive rights in state court.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
A historical record
Judge Brown 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.