Hezekiah Russel Holland
How Judge Holland decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Applies qualified immunity with granular, precedent-specific reasoning rather than at a high level of generality, closely distinguishing analogous but non-identical Supreme Court authority.
“There are meaningful differences between incarceration and probation that make the applicability of Weaver and Lynce reasonably uncertain to government officials applying HB 49.”
At the pleading stage, will not resolve genuine ambiguity about a defendant's intent in the government's favor, even where the underlying facts (multiple gunshots) could support an inference of intentional conduct.
“Plaintiff's amended complaint never alleges that Udell acted intentionally or that Udell assaulted Jayson Vinberg. Rather, it speaks of Vinberg being shot by ten rounds from Udell's personal weapon, which is an ambiguous statement at best in terms of intent.”
Procedural preferences
On discovery motions, works through each disputed request individually rather than ruling on a discovery fight as a single undifferentiated unit, and treats boilerplate relevance/burden objections unaccompanied by any explanation as legally insufficient.
“Therefore, plaintiffs are compelled to fully answer this interrogatory.”
On expert-exclusion and late-disclosure motions in limine, distinguishes a genuine Rule 26(e) supplement (allowed) from an attempt to add a new, previously undisclosed theory under the guise of supplementation (excluded), ruling issue-by-issue rather than all-or-nothing.
“Shideh's proffered addendum is nothing more than an attempt to strengthen or deepen his prior report.”
Requires counsel to follow a set pre-filing procedure before moving to dismiss, rather than allowing motions to dismiss to be filed as of right -- issued as a standing order early in a new case.
“ORDER RE MOTIONS TO DISMISS: Advising counsel of the procedure to follow prior to filing a motion to dismiss.”
Will issue a brief written order to formally memorialize a summary-judgment ruling already announced orally from the bench after argument.
“After hearing oral argument, the court denied both motions on the record. What follows is a brief order explaining the court's denial of the motions.”
Readily grants an unopposed or agreed motion to stay a case pending the outcome of closely related litigation elsewhere.
“ORDER granting 18 Motion to Stay. This case is stayed pending resolution of the Oklahoma Case.”
Cautions
Holds movants to a strict, fact-specific burden on provisional/emergency remedies (prejudgment attachment, preliminary injunctions) rather than granting relief on a plausible-sounding theory; jurisdictional and finality defects are enough to defeat a preliminary-injunction request without reaching the merits.
“Givens' evidence and arguments fail to establish the absence of any reasonably probable, successful defense.”
A dismissal for failure to state a claim is often granted with a short, fixed deadline to file an amended complaint rather than an open-ended one.
“Itta's complaint is dismissed in its entirety. Amended complaint due within 14 days.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The defendants' motions to dismiss are granted. This case is dismissed.”
“Because Judge Bentley's actions all fall within his judicial capacity and there is no evidence that his judicial actions were taken in the absence of all jurisdiction, the Court finds that absolute immunity precluding this action from proceeding against Judge Bentley.”
“Defendants' motion for partial dismissal is GRANTED. Count I of Plaintiff's complaint is dismissed, as well as Count IV to the extent it seeks relief based on the claim that KPD Ordinance 2024-07 is an unconstitutional bill of attainder.”
“Based on the preceding discussion, Defendants' motion to dismiss based on qualified immunity is hereby GRANTED.”
“The United States' motion to dismiss is granted in part and denied in part. The motion is granted as to the dismissal of the United States Navy and Bradley Udell. The United States Navy and Bradley Udell are dismissed as defendants. The United States' motion to dismiss is otherwise denied.”
“the court denied plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment and defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment.”
“Plaintiff's petition for a preliminary injunction is denied.”
“Defendants' motion for summary judgment is denied.”
“Plaintiffs' cross-motion for partial summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part. Plaintiffs are entitled to summary judgment that CMS cannot authorize defendants to deny providing ABA therapy under the EPSDT program. Plaintiffs' cross-motion is otherwise denied.”
“After careful consideration of all the evidence submitted by the parties, including defendant's affidavits, the court denies defendant's request for an evidentiary hearing and denies defendant's Section 2255 motion.”
“Givens' motion for a writ of attachment in the form of an injunction seeking the sequestration of money expected to be deposited into Oenga's BFTA account is denied.”
“Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part. Plaintiff's motion is granted as to the portion of its first claim for relief involving the stock attachments and shoe assembly track to that extent that this merchandise is 'unused.' It is granted as to defendant's contract claims in counterclaim Count One and defendant's trademark claims for injunctive relief in counterclaim Count Two. Plaintiff's motion is otherwise denied.”
“The University defendants' motion to dismiss is granted. Plaintiffs' Dutchuk, Wells, Johnson and Doe VI's traditional or post-reporting Title IX claims in Counts I, II, and III are dismissed as untimely.”
“The University's motion to compel is granted as to the discrete discovery requests discussed above.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 82.5 days (N = 6).
Holland's reviewed civil docket spans personal injury, product liability, admiralty, insurance, Social Security, employment discrimination, benefits, patent, and federal public-lands disputes, reflecting the broad calendar of a senior judge in a small district.
Put Judge Holland's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Holland actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Holland's own signed orders and cites them.