Opinion ID: 1476714
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: The Presumption of Regularity

Text: Buttressing the natural and reasonable inferences that may be drawn from the stipulations and the testimony regarding the marking, sealing and opening of the vials in question, there are certain well-established presumptions regarding the regularity not only of the acts of public servants but also of the acts of private individuals.
In United States v. Chemical Foundation, 272 U.S. 1, 14, 15, 47 S.Ct. 1, 6, 71 L.Ed. 131, the familiar rule as to the acts of public officers is thus stated: The presumption of regularity supports the official acts of public officers, and in the absence of clear evidence to the contrary, courts presume that they have properly discharged their official duties. [Cases cited [Emphasis supplied] [1] In the instant case, this presumption of official regularity would apply not only to the methods used by the Government chemists and analysts in handling the vials, but also to the care and to the absence of tampering on the part of the postal employees through whose hands the shipments passed. Boerner v. United States, D.C.N.Y., 30 F.Supp. 635, 637, affirmed, 2 Cir., 117 F.2d 387, certiorari denied 313 U.S. 587, 61 S.Ct. 1120, 85 L.Ed. 1542.
While the appellants reluctantly concede that there may be a presumption supporting the official acts of public servants, they insist that there is no presumption whatever with respect to shippers, doctors, nurses, and others. We do not agree. In United States Bank v. Dandridge, 25 U.S. 64, 69, 70, 12 Wheat. 64, 69, 70, 6 L.Ed. 5521, Mr. Justice Story said: By the general rules of evidence, presumptions are continually made, in cases of private persons, of acts even of the most solemn nature, when those acts are the natural result or necessary accompaniment of other circumstances. In aid of this salutary principle, the law itself, for the purpose of strengthening the infirmity of evidence, and upholding transactions intimately connected with the public peace, and the security of private property, indulges its own presumptions. It presumes, that every man, in his private and official character, does his duty, until the contrary is proved [cases cited]; it will presume that all things are rightly done, unless the circumstances of the case overturn this presumption, according to the maxim, omnia presumuntur rite et solemniter esse acta, donec probetur in contrarium. This early decision and the doctrine that it enunciates were referred to with approval in International Shoe Company v. Federal Trade Commission, 280 U.S. 291, 302, 50 S.Ct. 89, 93, 74 L.Ed. 431, where reference was made to the familiar presumption of rightfulness which attaches to human conduct in general. [2] This presumption that even private individuals do their duty and exercise due care should apply a fortiori to doctors and nurses, whose professional training and traditions teach them to be meticulous in the handling of preparations that are to be administered to their patients. Indeed, in the instant case, this presumption is supported by the affirmative testimony of one of the appellants' own witnesses. Dr. Roland N. Icke, director of research at the appellants' laboratories, said while under cross-examination: Q.    It has been your practice and observation of most doctors that they try to keep their bottles in proper places, has it not, Doctor? A. I believe most of them do; yes. Q. And it is rare that you find a doctor but what he adheres to the cautions that he has been instructed; isn't that correct? A. Yes. The appellants have not pointed out, nor have we been able to find, a single scintilla of evidence in the record to indicate that any of the vials were mishandled by a single postal clerk, expressman, doctor, nurse, Government analysts, Administration mail clerk, or any one else who had any connection with the sealing, labeling, consignment, transmission, unwrapping, unsealing, or testing of the products in question. The only suggestions of mishandling are in the form of dire possibilities conjured up by resourceful counsel. But possibilities are not proof.