Hugh Lawson
How Judge Lawson rules, drawn from 25 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Lawson no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Lawson
Hugh Lawson was a judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Appointed by President William J. Clinton, Judge Lawson received a commission on December 26, 1995. Judge Lawson assumed senior status on December 31, 2008 and served until death on March 29, 2024.
How Judge Lawson decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Lawson placed the burden on the party seeking arbitration to establish a valid agreement and its terms.
“it is defendant's burden under Georgia law to prove the existence and terms of the contract it wishes to enforce.”
He allowed expert testimony when weaknesses in factual assumptions could be tested through cross-examination rather than exclusion.
“Defendant may point out any flaws in Dr. Rosen’s factual assumptions when its counsel cross-examines him at trial and let the jury decide his credibility.”
Procedural preferences
Lawson rejected the idea that a summary-judgment motion is categorically premature merely because discovery has not begun.
“There is no ‘blanket prohibition on the granting of summary judgment motions before discovery.’”
He rejected a vagueness challenge when the ordinance gave an ordinary reader fair notice of the prohibited conduct.
“a reasonable person need not guess as to the ordinance’s meaning.”
Cautions
Lawson rejected a defense argument that depended on the physician consulting a reference source that did not list the defendant’s drug.
“The Court has a problem with Teva attempting to bolster its argument with an impossibility.”
He treated a manufacturer’s direct warranty as bargained-for consideration capable of creating privity with the purchaser.
“The warranty from the company was consideration, and his purchase of the hammer was acceptance of the offer from the manufacturer.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons addressed above, Defendants' Motion to Dismiss and Compel Arbitration (Doc. 3) is denied.”
“Based on the foregoing, Defendant’s Motion to Exclude (Doc. 18) is granted in part and denied in part.”
“After reviewing the pleadings, affidavits, depositions, and other evidentiary materials presented, the Court grants, in part, and denies, in part, Defendant’s motion.”
“The Bankruptcy Court was correct is disregarding his appraisal and testimony, and thus, the decision of the Bankruptcy Court is upheld.”
“For the reasons set forth above, Teva’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 37) is denied.”
“Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 92) is denied. Plaintiffs Motion to Withdraw Document (Doc. 104) is granted.”
“Defendants Watkins and Powell’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 30) is granted.”
“Defendants’ Motion to Exclude the Testimony of Plaintiff's Experts (Doc. 67) is granted.”
“Reliable’s Motion for Summary Judgment on Count II of its Verified Complaint is granted.”
“Deere’s Motion to Dismiss is denied.”
“Defendants Brogdon and Berrien County’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 24) is granted.”
“Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is therefore granted and Plaintiffs’ remaining claims are dismissed.”
“The Motion for Hearing is therefore denied.”
“the Court grants Defendant ACGIH’s Motion for Summary Judgment (doc. 204), denies Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment (doc. 210), and grants Defendant DOL’s Motion for Summary Judgment (doc. 203).”
“In conclusion, Plaintiff Financial Federal Credit’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The sampled cases included civil-rights, employment, wage-and-hour, contract, prisoner, and criminal matters. Retained timelines were uneven: some cases preserved only signed ruling entries, while others preserved full filing-to-ruling sequences.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Lawson was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of September 30, 2024.
| 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 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 13 | 5 |
| Sep 2023 | 5 | 2 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2022 | 6 | 3 |
| Mar 2022 | 23 | 2 |
| Sep 2021 | 4 | 1 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 0 |
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 Lawson 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.