Alfred V. Covello
How Judge Covello rules, drawn from 5 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Covello no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Covello
Alfred V. Covello was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Appointed by President George H.W. Bush, Judge Covello received a commission on August 17, 1992. Judge Covello assumed senior status on February 4, 2003 and served until death on February 18, 2025.
How Judge Covello decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Enforces a forum-selection clause where the alleged fraud went to the contract rather than the clause itself, transferring rather than dismissing the case.
“the defendants' motion to dismiss is GRANTED in part. The forum selection clause being enforceable, this matter is to be transferred to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1404.”
Procedural preferences
Applies ordinary notice pleading to Section 1983 claims, denying a motion to dismiss a false-arrest claim that alleges lack of probable cause, malice, and favorable termination.
“the motion to dismiss (document no. 9) is DENIED.”
Cautions
Dismisses claims as time-barred where the limitations period ran from the challenged decision, rejecting continuing-violation and delayed-accrual theories.
“the motion to dismiss the one-count complaint for violations of the Substantive Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment as well as the Connecticut actions for abuse of process and vexatious litigation (document 13) are GRANTED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the motion to dismiss (document no. 9) is DENIED.”
“the motion to dismiss the one-count complaint for violations of the Substantive Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment as well as the Connecticut actions for abuse of process and vexatious litigation (document 13) are GRANTED.”
“the defendants' motion to dismiss is GRANTED in part. The forum selection clause being enforceable, this matter is to be transferred to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1404.”
“the defendants' motion for summary judgment (document no. 36) is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”
“the motion for summary judgment (document no. 23) is GRANTED. The court declares that the plaintiff, Truck Insurance Exchange, is under no duty to defend or indemnify the defendant, Cherie Spada ...”
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Covello was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of September 30, 2023.
| 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 | 0 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2022 | 4 | 4 |
| Mar 2022 | 2 | 2 |
| Sep 2021 | 4 | 5 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 3 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 2 |
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 Covello no longer hears cases. 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.