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Alonzo Jay Edgerton

United States District Court for the District of South Dakota district Retired 1896 · served 1890–1896 Appointed by Benjamin Harrison (Republican) 2 signed orders read

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

How Judge Edgerton decides

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

What persuades

Edgerton treated clear congressional succession language as controlling when deciding which court inherited a territorial case.

“This court, then, is the only court which has any jurisdiction of this class of cases pending in the territorial court at the time of admission, where the conditions in the proviso to section 23 of the enabling act have been observed.”

Procedural preferences

He distinguished authorized deportation proceedings from an unauthorized punitive sentence imposed without a criminal trial.

“If the commissioner had sentenced the petitioner to be deported only, his sentence would not be disturbed”

Cautions

Edgerton emphasized judicial restraint before invalidating federal legislation.

“Courts are very reluctant to decide that particular legislation is unconstitutional.”

Signed rulings

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

Dorne v. Richmond Silver Min. Co.
43 F. 690 · 1890-11-11
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Denied

“I find no reason to remand the same.”

In re Ah Yuk
53 F. 781 · 1893-01-18
Petition for writ of habeas corpus (Ah Yuk) Granted

“the petitioner, must be discharged, from custody.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The two reviewed decisions do not establish the distribution of Edgerton’s full caseload.

A historical record

Judge Edgerton 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.