Otis D. Wright II

United States District Court for the Central District of California district Appointed by George W. Bush (Republican) 5 signed orders read

How Judge II decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

On a Rule 12(b)(1) FACTUAL attack the court weighs evidence beyond the complaint (declarations, even live cross-examination of a declarant) and does not presume the allegations true; standing is the plaintiff's burden.

“For the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. (ECF No. 34.)”

Procedural preferences

Declines to convert a Rule 12(b)(6) motion by considering extrinsic contracts -- no judicial notice of terms not 'generally known,' and no incorporation by reference where the plaintiff disputes the documents' authenticity.

“The Court will not consider the agreements in connection with this motion to dismiss.”

Pragmatic on evidentiary objections at summary judgment -- accepts an insurer's reply-stage cure (redaction + custodian declaration) and rejects vague, unsupported 'bulk submission' objections.

“The Court finds that these measures adequately address Defendant's concerns and will consider the medical records.”

Cautions

Applies ERISA complete preemption under the two-part Davila test; a 'church plan' label will not defeat removal where the employer is merely religiously affiliated and does not operate the plan.

“the Court DENIES Plaintiffs Motion to Remand, and GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, (ECF Nos. 10, 11.)”

Motion outcomes

Counted from classified signed orders only. Percentages are shown only where the sample is large enough to be meaningful; smaller samples are reported as raw counts.

Motions to dismiss
N = 4
Granted: 2Granted in part: 1Denied: 1 counts only
Summary judgment
N = 1
Granted: 1 counts only
Motions to remand
N = 1
Denied: 1 counts only

A "1 of 1" is one ruling, not a tendency. Treat small samples as illustrative, not predictive.

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Rubenstein v. Smith
2:14-cv-09111 · 2015-09-16
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“For the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. (ECF No. 34.)”

Tran v. Kansas City Life Insurance Co.
2:15-cv-09905 · 2017-01-05
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“For the following reasons, the Court GRANTS the motion in its entirety.”

Body Jewelz, Inc. v. Valley Forge Insurance Co.
2:16-cv-08661 · 2017-03-14
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted in part

“The Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART GoDaddy's motion to dismiss.”

Durham v. Prudential Insurance Co. of America
2:16-cv-07770 · 2017-02-15
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“the Court DENIES Plaintiffs Motion to Remand, and GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, (ECF Nos. 10, 11.)”

Motions to remand (plaintiff) Denied

“the Court DENIES Plaintiffs Motion to Remand, and GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, (ECF Nos. 10, 11.)”

Lepton Labs, LLC v. Walker
2:14-cv-04565 · 2014-09-23
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS [22]”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Sample from search_dockets(assigned_judge='Otis D. Wright II'). Current docket (2026) is heavily alien-detainee § 2241 habeas plus prisoner/state-custody matters. Older merits civil dockets (insurance/ERISA, securities, contract -- reflected in the published opinions above) exist but were not enumerated for durations this session.