La Buy v. Howes Leather Co.

Two complex, multi-party antitrust cases pending before district judge La Buy were burdensome given his court's congestion, so he entered orders referring both cases to a master for trial rather than trying them himself. Parties in the underlying cases petitioned the Seventh Circuit for writs of mandamus ordering La Buy to vacate those referral orders, and the court of appeals granted the writs under the All Writs Act, directing La Buy to vacate his orders and hear the cases himself. La Buy appealed that mandamus ruling.