Wilbur Frank Pell Jr.
Judge Pell no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Pell decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
Pell treated interpleader jurisdiction as fixed at the moment of filing, not subject to later manipulation by a party's waiver.
“interpleader jurisdiction is determined at the time suit is filed and subsequent events do not divest the court of jurisdiction once properly acquired.”
Cautions
He enforced the public-policy limits on exculpatory language, declining to let circumlocutionary contract terms defeat liability for a tower's own negligence.
“in the towage contract situation the ambiguous indemnity language here utilized is insufficient to avoid the public policy rule established by”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The judgment of the district court is affirmed and the cause is remanded solely for the purpose of vacating the sentence under Count I.”
“the judgment of the district court is affirmed.”
“it is deemed necessary that the proceedings be remanded for further determination in accordance with this opinion.”
“the judgment of the district court is affirmed.”
“the judgment of the district court is affirmed as to liability but is reversed as to the amount of damages recoverable.”
“the judgment of the district court is vacated and this cause is remanded to the district court for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.”
“the judgment is reversed and upon remand the district court shall dismiss the complaint.”
“the judgment of the district court is reversed.”
“the judgment of dismissal is reversed and the cause is remanded for further appropriate proceedings.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Circuit judges do not carry a single assigned trial caseload.
A historical record
Judge Pell 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.