United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Bankers Life & Cas. Co. v. Holland, 346 U.S. 379 (1953)

Bankers Life & Cas. Co. v. Holland

No. 16

Argued October 12-13, 1953

Decided November 30, 1953

346 U.S. 379

Syllabus

In the circumstances of this case, mandamus against a federal district judge was not an appropriate remedy to vacate a severance and transfer order entered by him under 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a) on the ground of improper venue. Pp. 346 U. S. 379-385.

(a) The supplementary review power conferred on federal courts by the All Writs Act is meant to be used only in exceptional cases where there is a clear abuse of discretion or usurpation of judicial power, and this is not such a case. Pp. 346 U. S. 382-383.

(b) Use of the writ of mandamus was not appropriate in this case to prevent alleged inconvenience and hardship occasioned by an appeal's being delayed until after final judgment. Pp. 346 U. S. 383-384.

(c) Petitioner has not met the burden of showing that its right to issuance of the writ is "clear and indisputable." P. 346 U. S. 384.

199 F.2d 593 affirmed.