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Arthur MacArthur

Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) district Deceased · served 1870–1887 Appointed by Ulysses S. Grant (Republican) 25 signed orders read

Judge MacArthur no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

How Judge MacArthur decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

He protected the stated purpose of a family trust from creditors seeking to redirect its benefits.

“We are of opinion that the defendants have no interest in the property which can be applied to the satisfaction of their debts.”

He applied the principle that a party invoking equity must accept corresponding equitable obligations.

“The party seeking equity must always offer to do equity, or they must rest upon their legal rights.”

Cautions

He reserved important merits questions when the court lacked personal jurisdiction over the defendant.

“we deem it not only unnecessary, but more decorous to reserve an adjudication on points so generally important in a case in which we have no jurisdiction.”

He required strict compliance before reopening a decree through a bill of review.

“the bill in the present case fails in all these requirements.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Kirk v. Zell
· 1873-04-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Granted

“the decision appealed from must be reversed and a decree made for the reformation of the deed as prayed for in the bill.”

Starr v. Keefer
· 1873-09-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Denied

“The decree dismissing the bill must be affirmed.”

Hogan v. Kurtz
· 1873-09-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Denied

“Judgment affirmed.”

Spofford v. Brown
· 1873-09-15
Motion for new trial (defendants) Denied

“the motion for a new trial must be denied and the judgment affirmed.”

Coltman v. Moore
· 1873-09-15
Bill in equity (complainants) Granted

“the prayer of the bill in this respect'should be allowed and the estate distributed without further postponement.”

Lathrop v. Union Pacific Railway Co.
· 1873-09-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Denied

“The decree appealed from is affirmed.”

Harkness v. District of Columbia
· 1873-04-15
Preliminary injunction (complainants) Denied

“the order to show cause must be dissolved and the injunction asked for denied.”

Day v. Mutual Benefit Life Insurance
· 1873-04-15
Motion for new trial (plaintiff) Granted

“The verdict must be set aside and a new trial ordered.”

Pickrell v. Zell
· 1875-01-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Denied

“The consequence is that the decree appealed from must be affirmed.”

Denmead v. Maack
· 1876-09-15
Motion for judgment notwithstanding plea (plaintiff) Granted

“The motion for judgment, notwithstanding the defendant’s plea, is granted.”

Grumbine v. Mayor of Washington
· 1876-04-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Denied

“Judgment affirmed.”

Meloy v. Johnston
· 1875-04-15
Appeal (appellant or petitioner) Denied

“Judgment affirmed.”

A historical record

Judge MacArthur 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.