Robert Nichols Scola Jr.
Judge Scola no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Scola decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Will grant reconsideration and leave to file an amended complaint where a party shows good cause through newly discovered evidence, even after a prior dismissal with prejudice.
“Finding good cause to allow Sound Around to file a second amended complaint, the Court grants its motion for reconsideration of HLM's dismissal with prejudice. (ECF No. 42.) Sound Around may file a second amended complaint no later than October 14, 2022.”
Procedural preferences
Treats a motion to strike as the wrong vehicle for evidentiary objections to summary-judgment affidavits; such objections belong in a reply, and the sham-affidavit rule reaches only inherent, unexplained contradictions.
“for the reasons stated above, the Court denies the Defendants' motion to strike or, alternatively, disregard evidence filed in support of the Plaintiff Sound Around, Inc.'s motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 86.)”
Cautions
Applies the PSLRA discovery stay as mandatory and automatic in securities-fraud cases, treating it as non-discretionary while dismissal motions remain pending.
“For the above reasons, the Court grants the CFT Defendants' motion for temporary stay of discovery pursuant to the PSLRA, acknowledging that a mandatory and automatic stay of discovery is currently in place. The stay shall remain in effect until all pending motions to dismiss are resolved.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“after application of the abstraction-filtration-comparison test, the Court holds-at this stage in the litigation-that Morford has adequately alleged that Cattelan's Comedian has a substantial similarity to the protected elements of Banana & Orange. For the reasons set out above, the Court denies the Defendant's motion to dismiss. (ECF No. 49.)”
“The Court affirms and adopts Judge Goodman's report and recommendation. (ECF No. 39.) The Court grants the Defendant's motion to set aside default (ECF No. 31) and sets aside the Clerk's default entered in this case (ECF No. 19).”
“As set forth above, the Court denies Blanco's motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 45.)”
“for the reasons stated above, the Court denies the Defendants' motion to strike or, alternatively, disregard evidence filed in support of the Plaintiff Sound Around, Inc.'s motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 86.)”
“Finding good cause to allow Sound Around to file a second amended complaint, the Court grants its motion for reconsideration of HLM's dismissal with prejudice. (ECF No. 42.) Sound Around may file a second amended complaint no later than October 14, 2022.”
“For the reasons stated above, the Court grants in part and denies in part the CFT Defendants' and the FX Defendants' motions to dismiss the amended complaint (ECF Nos. 64, 66). ... Count 1: Dismissed; ... Count 9: Dismissed; ... Count 11: Remains intact.”
“For the above reasons, the Court grants the CFT Defendants' motion for temporary stay of discovery pursuant to the PSLRA, acknowledging that a mandatory and automatic stay of discovery is currently in place. The stay shall remain in effect until all pending motions to dismiss are resolved.”
“For these reasons, the Court grants the Plaintiffs' motion. (ECF No. 33.) The Plaintiffs may serve the summonses, amended complaint, and all other filings and discovery in this matter upon Defendant Roman Cardenas by the methods identified in the Motion.”
“the Court denies Vilenchik’s motion for relief under Rule 60(b) (ECF No. 232). This denial is without prejudice as to Vilenchik’s claims regarding the Marshal’s refund to the Marina of $637.50.”
“the Court grants the School Board’s motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 93) and finds that the entire case has been mooted by the School Board’s enactment of Policy 1930. Therefore, the case is dismissed without prejudice.”
“denies as moot Stevens’s motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 79)”
“Having reviewed the motion, the record, and the relevant legal authorities, the Court denies without prejudice the Defendant’s motion (ECF No. 45).”
“Cervera’s motion to compel arbitration and to dismiss is granted. (ECF No. 8.) The parties shall mediate and arbitrate this matter consistent with the parties’ Agreement. Plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed without prejudice.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 47 days (N = 9).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 128 days (N = 1).
The reviewed 2020-2025 matters show that, after taking senior status, Judge Scola's 2025 docket was weighted toward Federal Tort Claims Act cases, post-conviction petitions, and criminal matters, many of which ended quickly through administrative or screening dispositions. A smaller civil group includes copyright, securities, Helms-Burton Act, and wage-and-hour cases. This provides descriptive context rather than a caseload-wide rate.
A historical record
Judge Scola 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.