Charles A. Pannell Jr.
Judge Pannell no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Pannell decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On Title VII and Section 1981 summary-judgment motions Pannell grants the defense where a supervisor's admittedly racist statements are remote in time (over a year before the challenged decision) and not directed at that decision, so they are neither direct evidence nor a Smith v. Lockheed convincing mosaic.
“the defendant's motion for summary judgment [Doc. No. 42] is GRANTED, and this matter is DISMISSED.”
In an ERISA long-term-disability case he not only denies the insurer's summary-judgment motion but reverses the benefits denial under Williams v. BellSouth and holds the plaintiff entitled to benefits.
“MetLife's motion for summary judgment [Doc. No. 19] is DENIED. The court hereby ORDERS, pursuant to Williams v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., 373 F.3d 1132, 1137-38 (11th Cir. 2004), that MetLife's decision to deny the plaintiff long-term disability benefits is REVERSED and that the plaintiff is entitled to benefits.”
Procedural preferences
On a patent-infringement complaint he grants dismissal without prejudice for lack of standing where the plaintiff held only a parent-subsidiary relationship and an oral license at filing, holding a nunc pro tunc written license cannot cure a standing defect retroactively, while denying the alternative motion to transfer.
“the court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART Intervet's motion to dismiss [Doc. No. 16]. Intervet's motion [Doc. No. 16] is DENIED to the extent it seeks transfer of this case to the District Court for the District of Columbia and to the extent that it seeks dismissal with prejudice. Intervet's motion [Doc. No. 16] is GRANTED, however, to the extent that it seeks dismissal of this action without prejudice. This case is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the defendant's motion for summary judgment [Doc. No. 42] is GRANTED, and this matter is DISMISSED.”
“MetLife's motion for summary judgment [Doc. No. 19] is DENIED. The court hereby ORDERS, pursuant to Williams v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., 373 F.3d 1132, 1137-38 (11th Cir. 2004), that MetLife's decision to deny the plaintiff long-term disability benefits is REVERSED and that the plaintiff is entitled to benefits.”
“the court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART Intervet's motion to dismiss [Doc. No. 16]. Intervet's motion [Doc. No. 16] is DENIED to the extent it seeks transfer of this case to the District Court for the District of Columbia and to the extent that it seeks dismissal with prejudice. Intervet's motion [Doc. No. 16] is GRANTED, however, to the extent that it seeks dismissal of this action without prejudice. This case is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed Atlanta Division matters include quickly resolved prisoner civil-rights screenings and landlord-ejectment removals, alongside longer employment, consumer-reporting, employee-benefits, federal-defendant, and patent cases. The reviewed 2017 matters did not identify a referral magistrate.
A historical record
Judge Pannell 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.