Holly B. Fitzsimmons
Judge Fitzsimmons no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Fitzsimmons decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Fitzsimmons denied preliminary relief when the movants did not establish irreparable harm.
“plaintiffs have not provided sufficient evidence to support a finding of irreparable harm”
She construed privilege ambiguities against the party asserting the privilege.
“Any ambiguities as to whether the essential elements [of the attorney-client privilege] have been met are construed against the party asserting the privilege.”
Procedural preferences
Fitzsimmons required counsel to confer before filing further discovery motions.
“the plaintiff will schedule a discovery conference before filing any future discovery motions.”
She used supplemental expert reports and additional deposition time to cure disclosure deficiencies.
“supplemental reports and additional time to depose expert witnesses”
Cautions
Fitzsimmons enforced the local good-faith-conference requirement before considering discovery sanctions.
“This rule serves an important purpose, namely to conserve the scarce resources of the Court and to encourage counsel to engage in a good faith effort to eliminate or reduce areas of controversy”
She refused to shift electronic-production costs where the requested waiver was unsupported.
“Plaintiffs Motion for Waiver of IT Costs [Doc. # 103] is DENIED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Plaintiffs’ Motions for Sanctions and to Compel [Doc. #18, 24] are DENIED for failure to comply with D. Conn. L. Civ. R. 9(d)(2).”
“the court approves defendant’s use of the redacted report. A protective order shall enter with respect to the redacted information.”
“defendant’s motion for protective order [Doc. # 71] is DENIED.”
“the motion to quash [Doc.# 46] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“the motion to compel [Doc. #64] is also GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“Plaintiffs Motion for Waiver of IT Costs [Doc. # 103] is DENIED.”
“Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction [Doc. # 103], is DENIED.”
“plaintiffs motions for attorneys’ fees are GRANTED in the amount of $87,392.50. [Doc. # 72, 80].”
“plaintiffs’ Motion for Permission to Disclose New Expert Witnesses is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“plaintiffs Motion in Limine is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. [Doc. # 21.]”
“defendants’ Motion to approve a proposed supersedeas bond [Doc. #564] is DENIED.”
“the defendants’ Emergency Supplemental Motion for stay of execution of judgment [Doc. # 572] is DENIED.”
“The Motion for expedited ruling on motion for approval of supersedeas bond [Doc. #573] is GRANTED in accordance with this ruling and order.”
“the Motion for leave [Doc. # 570] is GRANTED.”
“defendants’ motion to reconsider [Doc. #20] is DENIED.”
“defendant’s motion to compel [doc # 33] is denied”
“defendant’s motion to compel [doc # 29] is granted in part and denied in part.”
“Plaintiffs’ Application for a Prejudgment Remedy [Doc. # 29] is therefore GRANTED in the amount of $97,000.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 895 days (N = 6).
The six randomly sampled terminated matters include two employment civil-rights cases and one each involving consumer credit, employee benefits, personal injury, and motor-vehicle injury.
A historical record
Judge Fitzsimmons no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.