Valerie Baker Fairbank
How Judge Fairbank rules, drawn from 14 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Fairbank decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
Resists litigation delay: denied the Government's motions to stay habeas proceedings pending a forthcoming Supreme Court decision, directing the parties to brief the merits instead.
“Savage / McPeters: in both 2255 matters the 'Government's Motion to Stay ... Pending Decision in [Beckles]' was DENIED and merits briefing was ordered.”
Cautions
Pairs an adverse merits ruling with a show-cause / sanctions warning where she views a filing as frivolous.
“Ghadimi v. Ashai: after denying the creditors' bankruptcy appeal she directed them to 'Show Cause ... Why the Court Should Not Find their Appeal to be Frivolous and Award Attorney Fees or Other Damages Under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8020(a).'”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“(1) Granting the Motion for Summary Judgment of Plaintiffs Norman, Danielle, & Carson Mull on the First Amended Complaint ('FAC');”
“(2) Denying the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment or in the Alternative Summary Adjudication on the FAC;”
“the motion for summary judgment of defendant Thomas in his individual capacity on statute of limitation grounds IS DENIED.”
“ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO DISMISS ALL FEDERAL CLAIMS AGAINST COUNTY OF ORANGE AND ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY COSTELLO, AND DECLINING SUPPLEMENTAL JURISDICTION OVER ALL STATE-LAW CLAIMS ...”
“ORDER Denying Document # 8 (Government's Motion to Stay Section 2255 Proceeding Pending Decision in [Beckles]); Permitting Savage to File a Reply in Support of Habeas Petition ...”
“ORDER Denying Document # 8 (Government's Request to Stay This Habeas Action Pending Supreme Court Decision in [Beckles]); Directing Government to Respond to Section 2255 Motion ...”
“Order Denying Creditors' Appeal: Affirming Bankruptcy Court's June 9, 2014 Judgment that § 523(a)(2)(A) Does Not Render Tony Ashai's Debt Non-Dischargeable;”
“Petitioner's Application for Temporary Restraining Order 5 is GRANTED. Respondents are ordered to immediately release Petitioner from custody (or alternatively that he be provided a bond hearing before an immigration judge within seven days of this order).”
“Upon consideration of Petitioner’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and all material submitted in support thereof and in opposition thereto (if applicable), and the applicable law, it is hereby ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED.”
“Petitioner’s application for a preliminary injunction is GRANTED.”
“IT IS ORDERED that the Petition and Motion to Enforce are GRANTED. Respondent shall immediately release Petitioner from custody on his prior Order of Supervision”
“IT IS ORDERED that the Petition and Motion to Enforce are GRANTED.”
“Petitioner's ‘Emergency Motion for temporary restraining order’ 2 is DENIED without prejudice. Plaintiff MAY FILE a TRO application that complies with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65 and Central District Local Civil Rule 65-1.”
“Petitioner's application for a temporary restraining order 13 is GRANTED. The Court orders Petitioner's immediate release.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
- The older contested sample spans trademark and copyright, civil rights, ERISA, employment and contract, insurance, and tax matters.
- The bounded 2026 review reached four terminated immigration-detention habeas cases: three supplied signer-confirmed emergency or final relief, while one had no retrievable disposition text.
- Judge Fairbank continues to receive current matters while serving in senior status.
Draft for Judge Fairbank with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Fairbank, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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