In Re Sanford Fork & Tool Co.
Citations
- 160 U.S. 247
- 16 S. Ct. 291
- 40 L. Ed. 414
- 1895 U.S. LEXIS 2361
Syllabus
<p>When a case has once been decided by this court on appeal, and remanded to the Circuit Court, that court must execute the decree of this court according to the mandate. If it does not, its action may be controlled, either by a new appeal, or by writ of mandamus; but it may consider and 'decide any matters left open by the mandate; and its decision of such matters can be reviewed by a new appeal only. The opinion delivered by this court, at the time of rendering its decree, may be consulted to ascertain what was intended by the mandate; and, either upon an application for a writ of mandamus, or upon a new appeal, it is for this court to construe its own mandate.</p> <p>When the Circuit Court, at a hearing upon exceptions to an answer in equity, sustains the exceptions, and (the defendant electing to stand by his answer) enters a final decree for the plaintiff; and this court, upon appeal, orders that decree to be reversed, and the cause remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with its opinion; the plaintiff is entitled to file a replication, and may be allowed by the Circuit Court to amend his bill.</p>
How courts have described this case
Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.
- holding that a trial court may not “vary,” “give any other or further relief,” or “intermeddle with” the appellate court’s mandate
- holding discretion exists when prior appellate decision reversed lower court but ordered no final judgment
- noting that when an appellate court decides a case the lower court “is bound by the decree as the law of the case”
- stating that “ft]he opinion delivered by th[e Supreme C]ourt, at the time of rendering its decree, may be consulted to ascertain what was intended by its mandate”
- observing that disregard of appellate mandates “would severely jeopardize the supervisory role of the courts of appeals within the federal judicial system”
- noting that a Supreme Court remand does not prevent a court of appeals “from applying its prudential rules in a uniform and consistent manner”
Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).
Judges: Gray
Read full opinion on CourtListenerSourced from CourtListener / Free Law Project (CC0).
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