Jeffrey S. White
How Judge White rules, drawn from 10 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge White decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On a religious-exemption challenge to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate (Title VII / First Amendment / FEHA), White granted a preliminary injunction ordering the employer to reinstate the terminated employee, applying the Winter factors and holding that a multi-year delay in seeking interim relief, while cutting against irreparable harm, was not determinative.
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction and orders the Defendant to reinstate Plaintiff to his former position with the City and County of San Francisco forthwith.”
Procedural preferences
On a Rule 12(b)(6) motion he dismisses claims that fail to plead statutory triggers but grants leave to amend 'with extreme liberality,' and he rejects a res judicata defense built on a pro se litigant's mistaken with-prejudice voluntary dismissal.
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Defendant's motion to dismiss. If Plaintiff wishes to file an amended complaint, she must do so by no later than March 27, 2015.”
He requires a dispositive motion to identify and apply the procedural rule authorizing the requested relief and to comply with prior hearing instructions.
“Needless to say, any dispositive motion must cite the federal rule under which it is proceeding, and apply the relevant standard.”
Cautions
He construes a defense summary-judgment motion raising PLRA administrative exhaustion as an unenumerated Rule 12(b) motion to dismiss (Wyatt v. Terhune) and grants it, dismissing without prejudice where the prisoner never grieved or appealed.
“Defendant's motion for summary judgment has been construed as an unenumerated motion to dismiss for failure to exhaust administrative remedies, and the motion is GRANTED. (Docket no. 17.) This action is DISMISSED without prejudice.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Defendant's motion to dismiss. If Plaintiff wishes to file an amended complaint, she must do so by no later than March 27, 2015.”
“For the reasons set forth above, Zabit's motion to dismiss is DENIED.”
“Defendant's motion for summary judgment has been construed as an unenumerated motion to dismiss for failure to exhaust administrative remedies, and the motion is GRANTED. (Docket no. 17.) This action is DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction and orders the Defendant to reinstate Plaintiff to his former position with the City and County of San Francisco forthwith.”
“the Court GRANTS IN PART AND DENIES IN PART Defendant's motion to dismiss”
“The Court DENIES the motion to strike in its entirety.”
“the Court DENIES Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment.”
“Accordingly, the motion to dismiss is DENIED.”
“Plaintiff's motion for appointment of counsel is DENIED.”
“Defendants' motion for an extension of time is DENIED as unnecessary.”
“Accordingly, counsel for MPH International, LLC shall pay Support Community, Inc. through its counsel $25,021.25, within thirty (30) days of this Order.”
White discharged an order to show cause after the defendant appeared and set a firm answer, dispositive-motion, and briefing schedule in a prisoner medical-care case that had experienced substantial delay.
“reduction in his sentence is warranted and DENIES the motion.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS IN PART AND DENIES IN PART”
“The Court finds good cause to examine the document and GRANTS Plaintiff leave to file it.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The sampled cases filed from 2016 through 2019 include environmental, foreclosure, disability-access, prisoner, subpoena, and criminal matters. More recent senior-judge assignments also include pro se habeas petitions. The listed durations measure the full life of each case, not the time taken to decide a particular motion.
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