Hann v. Hawk

Decision Date20 July 1953
Docket NumberNo. 14564.,14564.
Citation205 F.2d 839
PartiesHANN, Warden, v. HAWK.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit

Robert A. Nelson, Asst. Atty. Gen. of Nebraska (Clarence S. Beck, Atty. Gen. of Nebraska, was with him on the brief), for appellant.

Richard W. Smith, Miami, Okl., for appellee.

Before SANBORN, JOHNSEN. and RIDDICK, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, granting the application of the appellee, Henry Hawk, for a writ of habeas corpus and releasing him from imprisonment in the Nebraska State Penitentiary, where he had been held under a sentence of life imprisonment based upon a State court conviction for murder.

The appeal was argued at the November 1952 session of this Court, but, before it was decided, Henry Hawk died, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, on April 21, 1953. We are urged by counsel to decide the case, notwithstanding the death of Hawk.

This case obviously became moot upon Hawk's death, and this Court would not be justified in deciding questions which have become academic, no matter how interesting they may be. Following the established practice in dealing with a case such as this which became moot pending a decision of this Court on the merits, the judgment appealed from is vacated and the case is remanded with directions to dismiss it. See United States v. Munsingwear, Inc., 340 U.S. 36, 39, 71 S.Ct. 104, 95 L.Ed. 36.

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17 cases
  • Grandsinger v. Bovey
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Nebraska
    • June 27, 1957
    ...him in the enjoyment of a precarious, and perhaps temporary, discharge from custody. Hawk v. Hann, D.C.Neb., 103 F.Supp. 138; Hann v. Hawk, 8 Cir., 205 F.2d 839 and 207 F.2d 9 In that position the writer of the opinion was quite unrealistic. Actually, Hawk was an ignorant old man and the vi......
  • Hauptmann v. Wilentz
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of New Jersey
    • August 11, 1983
    ...See, e.g., Knapp v. Baker, 509 F.2d 922 (5th Cir.1975) (per curiam); United States v. Fay, 284 F.2d 301 (2d Cir.1960); Hann v. Hawk, 205 F.2d 839 (8th Cir.1953); In re Kravitz, 504 F.Supp. 43, 52 (M.D.Pa. 1980). Accordingly, assuming that plaintiff otherwise has the legal capacity to assert......
  • In re Kravitz
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Middle District of Pennsylvania
    • May 12, 1980
    ...482 F.2d 361 (5th Cir. 1973) (per curiam); United States ex rel. Lynch v. Fay, 284 F.2d 301 (2d Cir. 1960) (per curiam); Hann v. Hawk, 205 F.2d 839 (8th Cir. 1953); United States ex rel. Schwartz v. Lennox, 320 F.Supp. 754 (E.D.Pa.1971).26 In fact, counsel have not cited, and my research ha......
  • Figueroa v. Rivera
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — First Circuit
    • July 20, 1998
    ...that action moot, and no earthly circumstance can revive it. See Knapp v. Baker, 509 F.2d 922, 922-23 (5th Cir.1975); Hann v. Hawk, 205 F.2d 839, 840 (8th Cir.1953); United States ex rel. Schwartz v. Lennox, 320 F.Supp. 754, 755 (E.D.Pa.1971). As to Carrin's habeas petition, the appellants ......
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