Melissa Jean Damian
How Judge Damian decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
When claims are covered by an arbitration agreement, she follows the Federal Arbitration Act's stay procedure instead of dismissing the action, preserving the case while arbitration proceeds.
“Defendant's Motion to Compel Arbitration and Stay All Court Proceedings [ECF No. 45] is GRANTED. ... The parties are ORDERED to submit this dispute to arbitration. ... This matter is STAYED pending the completion of arbitration.”
Cautions
A post-removal detention challenge filed before six months have elapsed is premature unless the petitioner can also show no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future. Active efforts to identify another receiving country cut against that showing.
“Petitioner filed the instant Petition on May 19, 2026, approximately forty days after his April 9, 2026 final order of removal. ... Petitioner has failed to satisfy his initial burden under Zadvydas, and his challenge to his continued detention is premature.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Counts II, IV, and VI for Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction [ECF No. 295] is DENIED.”
“Defendants' Joint Motion to Dismiss [ECF No. 13] is GRANTED. For the reasons stated in Judge Matthewman's Report, Plaintiff's Complaint [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 12] is GRANTED IN PART ... The decision of the Commissioner is REVERSED, and this case is REMANDED to the Administrative Law Judge”
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 19] is DENIED.”
“Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Amended Complaint for Quiet Title [ECF No. 20] is GRANTED. Plaintiff's Amended Complaint for Quiet Title [ECF No. 17] is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“Defendant's Motion to Dismiss [ECF No. 8] is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. ... Plaintiff's Amended Complaint is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE and with leave to amend.”
“ORDER granting 26 Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment. ... For the reasons set forth below, this Court grants the Motion.”
“adopting Report and Recommendations re 99 Report and Recommendations on 58 Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Dawn International LTD. ... granting in part and denying in part 58 Motion for Summary Judgment”
“denying 60 Motion for Summary Judgment [filed by Jacob Fleishman Sales, Inc.]”
“Petitioner's Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus [ECF No. 4] is DISMISSED.”
“Petitioner's Emergency Motion [ECF No. 17] is DENIED.”
“The Verified Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
“ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Report [ECF No. 40] is AFFIRMED AND ADOPTED, Defendant Jones's Objections [ECF No. 50] are OVERRULED, and the Motion to Dismiss [ECF No. 18] is DENIED.”
“ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint [ECF No. 80] is DENIED.”
“ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Plaintiff's Motion for Entry of Final Default Judgment [ECF No. 78] is GRANTED against those Defendants listed in the attached Schedule "A."”
Put Judge Damian's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Damian actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Damian's own signed orders and cites them.