Cormac J. Carney
How Judge Carney rules, drawn from 21 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Carney no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Carney
Cormac J. Carney received his commission to the United States District Court for the Central District of California on April 9, 2003. He served as chief judge in 2020 and assumed senior status on May 31, 2024. The court’s September 2026 seniority list includes him among its district judges.
How Judge Carney decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Grants reconsideration and summary judgment where intervening controlling appellate authority changes the governing standard.
“ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION AND SUMMARY JUDGMENT CORMAC J. CARNEY, District Judge. ... After reconsidering, the Court has determined that there is no genuine issue of material fact raised regarding whether donning and doffing of the uniforms worn by Plaintiffs are compensable work activities under the FLSA.”
Procedural preferences
On habeas review, adopts the magistrate's recommendation even over both parties' objections, granting a conditional writ where the record supports relief.
“IT IS ORDERED that Judgment be entered: (1) approving and adopting this Report and Recommendation; and (2) directing that Judgment be entered granting a writ of habeas corpus in accordance with the findings of this Report and Recommendation.”
Cautions
On cross-motions for summary judgment, grants the prevailing party's motion and denies the other, resolving each claim on the merits.
“Disney's motion for summary judgment is GRANTED as to Ms. Baughman's ADA claim, and Ms. Baughman's motion for summary judgment on that claim is DENIED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT CORMAC J. CARNEY, District Judge.”
“Disney's motion for summary judgment is GRANTED as to Ms. Baughman's ADA claim, and Ms. Baughman's motion for summary judgment on that claim is DENIED.”
“ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION AND SUMMARY JUDGMENT CORMAC J. CARNEY, District Judge. ... After reconsidering, the Court has determined that there is no genuine issue of material fact raised regarding whether donning and doffing of the uniforms worn by Plaintiffs are compensable work activities under the FLSA.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Judgment be entered: (1) approving and adopting this Report and Recommendation; and (2) directing that Judgment be entered granting a writ of habeas corpus in accordance with the findings of this Report and Recommendation.”
“ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS' MOTIONS FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND DENYING PLAINTIFF'S CROSS-MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT CORMAC J. CARNEY, District Judge.”
“For the foregoing reasons, Maserati’s motion for summary judgment is GRANTED.”
“For the foregoing reasons, Defendant's motion for summary judgment is GRANTED.”
“The Court GRANTS Defendants’ motion to dismiss Mr. Cofer’s claims for harassment and failure to prevent harassment, DENIES Defendants’ motion to dismiss the portions of Mr. Cofer’s complaint pertaining to punitive damages, and DENIES Mr. Cofer’s motion to remand.”
“Accordingly, Plaintiffs claims are DISMISSED. Plaintiff'is granted leave to amend and may file a First Amended Complaint within 30 days from today.”
“Plaintiffs *1243claims are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“For the foregoing reasons, Defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of standing is DENIED.”
“Accordingly, Synoptek's motion for partial summary judgment to cancel Synaptek's '160 trademark is GRANTED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
- Before becoming an inactive senior judge in May 2024, Judge Carney handled a varied civil and criminal docket.
- The reviewed 2021-2023 terminations include federal prosecutions, consumer-credit disputes, wage-and-hour and labor cases, contract and arbitration matters, employment and prisoner civil-rights claims, and an admiralty case.
- His final April-May 2024 assignments were generally terminated or reassigned around his transition to senior status.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Carney was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of March 31, 2024.
| Motions pending more than six months | 0 |
| Bench trials submitted more than six months | 0 |
| Bankruptcy appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Social Security appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 5 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 5 |
| Sep 2023 | 1 | 5 |
| Mar 2023 | 1 | 8 |
| Sep 2022 | 1 | 7 |
| Mar 2022 | 1 | 8 |
| Sep 2021 | 2 | 6 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 3 |
| Sep 2020 | 1 | 6 |
A snapshot on that date: matters listed may since have been decided or reassigned. A motion referred to a magistrate judge is counted for both judges. Motions in multidistrict litigation, section 2255 cases and Social Security appeals are not counted, and a very large three-year count is generally a multidistrict docket. Source: Appendix A of the report (PDF); about the report.
A historical record
Judge Carney no longer sits on this court. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.