Robert M. Norway
How Judge Norway decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Absolute judicial immunity is a powerful bar he will enforce at the pleadings stage: a 42 U.S.C. 1983 damages suit against a state judge for acts taken in a judicial capacity is dismissed unless the judge acted in the clear absence of all jurisdiction, and the immunity holds even if the acts were erroneous, malicious, or in excess of jurisdiction. He applies the two-part Stump v. Sparkman functional test.
“Judges are entitled to absolute judicial immunity from damages for those acts taken while they are acting in their judicial capacity unless they acted in the 'clear absence of all jurisdiction.'”
Procedural preferences
He enforces the response deadline: an unopposed motion is treated as unopposed (Local Rule 3.01(c)), though he will still decide it on the papers rather than granting it by default. Pro se litigants are warned before the motion is taken as conceded.
“the Court treats the motion as unopposed and decides the 'motion on the papers before [it].'”
Cautions
Pro se pleadings get liberal construction but not a rewrite, and where the defect is an incurable legal bar (e.g. immunity) he denies further leave to amend as futile and dismisses with prejudice -- do not expect repeated repleading once a dispositive legal bar is identified.
“No amendment will cure the deficiency discussed in this order.”
Motion outcomes
Counted from classified signed orders only. Percentages are shown only where the sample is large enough to be meaningful; smaller samples are reported as raw counts.
| Motions to dismiss N = 1 |
Granted: 1 | counts only |
| Summary judgment N = 1 |
Moot / procedural: 1 | counts only |
A "1 of 1" is one ruling, not a tendency. Treat small samples as illustrative, not predictive.
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendant John D.W. Beamer's Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. 34) is GRANTED; 2. This action is dismissed with prejudice; and 3. The Clerk of Court is directed to terminate all pending motions and close the case.”
“ENDORSED ORDER denying as moot 17 Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Magistrate Judge Robert M. Norway on 3/20/2025.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 166 days (N = 8).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 22 days (N = 3).
Active-MJ docket (docket 2023-2025): criminal duty-magistrate matters (6:**-mj-***** complaints/initial appearances, United States v. <defendant>, which terminate within days and are not merits motion rulings) plus a diverse 636(c)-CONSENT civil docket that resolves heavily by settlement/mediation. He is also a referral magistrate on many District Judge cases (paired with DJs Carlos E. Mendoza, Wendy W. Berger, and Paul G. Byron).