Allison H. Goddard
How Judge Goddard decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Social Security appeals she recommends granting the claimant's summary judgment and reversing the Commissioner where the decision is not supported by the record.
“Judge Goddard recommends this Court grant Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment ... reverse the Commissioner's determination that Plaintiff is not disabled and remand the matter for calculation of benefits. ... Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (Doc. No. 11) is GRANTED.”
Procedural preferences
She authors reports and recommendations on dispositive motions, recommending that the district court grant a motion to dismiss where a pro se claim fails on the law.
“After reviewing the Motion to Dismiss and all supporting documents ... the Court RECOMMENDS that the District Court GRANT the Motion, and DISMISS this action with prejudice. ... the undersigned RECOMMENDS that the Court GRANT Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 26) in its entirety, and DISMISS this action with prejudice.”
Cautions
She denies collateral motions such as bifurcation and sanctions that lack a sound basis while the underlying appeal is resolved on the merits.
“Plaintiff's Motion to Bifurcate (ECF No. 63) is DENIED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Report and Recommendation recommends that the Motion to Stay be denied as moot ‘[i]n light of Petitioner's withdrawal of his request for a Rhines stay and Respondents' waiver of the exhaustion requirement.’ ... The Motion to Stay (ECF No. 4) is denied as moot.”
“the Report and Recommendation recommends that the Motion to Dismiss be denied on the ground that Petitioner failed to state a claim and granted on the ground that Petitioner's claim is procedurally defaulted. ... The Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 12) is granted in part as outlined above. The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (ECF No. 1) is denied without prejudice.”
“the Court hereby (1) ADOPTS Magistrate Judge Goddard's Report and Recommendation, (2) GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART the Petition as set forth in the Report and Recommendation, and (3) APPROVES an alternative settlement structure ... resulting in a gross settlement amount of $50,000, less $15,000 in attorney fees, for a net recovery of $35,000 to be paid to minor Plaintiff A.B.”
“On August 7, 2025, U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison H. Goddard issued a Report and Recommendation (the ‘Report’) in favor of granting the Motion. ... The Court's ADOPTS Judge Goddard's Report and Recommendation [ECF No. 200] and GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Strike [ECF No. 168].”
“Magistrate Judge Allison H. Goddard submitted a Report and Recommendation ... recommending the Court grant Defendant's Motion to Remand ... Defendant's Motion to Remand to the Social Security Administration (ECF No. 61) is GRANTED. ... REMANDED for a new hearing before a new ALJ under sentence four ... reversing the final decision of the Commissioner.”
“Plaintiff's Motion to Bifurcate (ECF No. 63) is DENIED.”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Sanctions (ECF No. 87) is DENIED.”
“After reviewing the Motion to Dismiss and all supporting documents ... the Court RECOMMENDS that the District Court GRANT the Motion, and DISMISS this action with prejudice. ... the undersigned RECOMMENDS that the Court GRANT Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 26) in its entirety, and DISMISS this action with prejudice.”
“Judge Goddard recommends this Court grant Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment ... reverse the Commissioner's determination that Plaintiff is not disabled and remand the matter for calculation of benefits. ... Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (Doc. No. 11) is GRANTED.”
“Judge Goddard recommends this Court ... deny Defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment ... Defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment (Doc. No. 14) is DENIED.”
Put Judge Goddard's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Goddard actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Goddard's own signed orders and cites them.