Julie Elizabeth Carnes

How Judge Carnes rules, drawn from 21 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Carnes no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Position
district
Status
Elevated to a higher court
Served
1992–2014
Appointed by
George H. W. Bush (Republican)
Commissioned
1992-02-10
Education
University of Georgia, B.A., 1972; University of Georgia School of Law, J.D., 1975
Signed orders read
21

How Judge Carnes decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

Treats late notice as a coverage bar when an insured knew litigation was possible but waited two years without a legally sufficient justification.

“Hallister’s two-year delay in notifying plaintiffs of the Baerwalde accident is unreasonable as a matter of law. Hallister has not provided any legally sufficient justification for the delay.”

Procedural preferences

Will allow focused discovery before deciding an agency-remand request when a material factual premise remains disputed.

“the Court will give the plaintiff an opportunity to conduct some limited discovery to confirm the allegations of the CIS that the FBI background check has been requested and that it has not yet been received.”

She denied summary judgment without prejudice when discovery remained incomplete and the contract evidence itself created a factual dispute over which entity was liable.

“Defendants cannot claim that there are no disputed material facts when it is not even clear exactly what the facts are.”

Cautions

Does not treat conclusory expert credentials as a substitute for a testable, published, and generally accepted methodology.

“Pittman’s lack of specificity makes it difficult to evaluate his methodology, but suggests that his report is not reliable.”

Discovery gamesmanship can lead to cost shifting and escalating sanctions; after repeated incomplete responses and failed depositions, she awarded motion costs and warned that continued noncompliance could produce struck answers and default.

“Should defendants continue to be uncooperative, the Court will consider striking defendants' answers and then entering a default against them.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Simmons v. United States
· 2004-06-29
Motion for interlocutory appeal (plaintiff) Granted

“the Court GRANTS plaintiffs Motion For Interlocu *1368 tory Appeal [37-1].”

Motions to stay (plaintiff) Granted

“The Court also GRANTS plaintiffs Motion for a Stay [37— 1]”

Rescuecom Corp. v. Computer Troubleshooters USA, Inc.
· 2005-09-16
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“the Court DENIES Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss [10].”

Abuhadba v. Gonzales
· 2007-09-04
Motions to dismiss (defendants) Denied

“the Court DENIES defendants’ Motion to Dismiss [10].”

Gilbert v. Monaco Coach Corp.
· 2004-11-12
Motion for leave to amend (plaintiffs) Denied

“the Court DENIES plaintiffs’ Motion to Amend the Complaint to Join an Additional Party Defendant [35]”

Motions to stay (plaintiffs) Denied

“DENIES plaintiffs’ Motion to Stay Pretrial Order and All Other Matters Pending [36]”

Motion to exclude expert (defendant) Denied

“DENIES defendant’s Motion to Exclude Plaintiffs’ Report of Mike Wardingley and Any Testimony Thereon [37]”

Motion in limine (defendant) Granted

“GRANTS defendant’s Motions in Limine [43] as unopposed”

Motion for leave to file supplemental authority (plaintiffs) Denied

“DENIES plaintiffs’ Motion for Leave to File Supplemental Authority in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment [45].”

American General Life & Accident Insurance v. Ward
· 2008-01-02
Motion to exceed page limits (defendants) Granted

“the Court GRANTS defendants’ Motions to Exceed Page Limits [58] and [71]”

Motions to dismiss (plaintiff insurer) Granted

“GRANTS plaintiffs Motion to Dismiss Defendants’ Amended Fraud and RICO Claims [54]”

Motion to supplement (defendants) Denied

“DENIES defendants’ Motions to Supplement [60] and [61]”

Motions to strike (plaintiff insurer) Granted

“GRANTS plaintiffs Motion to Strike Marcus Pittman’s Expert Report [70]”

Motion for leave to revise expert report (defendant) Granted

“GRANTS defendant’s Motion for Leave to Revise Pittman’s Expert Report [75] and [76].”

Roy Ex Rel. Roy v. Fulton County School District
· 2007-03-07
Motions to dismiss (Fulton County School District) Denied

“the Court DENIES defendant Fulton County School District’s Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim [5]”

Motions to dismiss (individual school defendants) Granted in part

“GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the Individual School District Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim and for More Definite Statement [7]”

Motion for leave to amend (plaintiffs) Granted

“GRANTS plaintiffs’ First Motion to Amend Complaint [8]”

Motions to dismiss (Fulton County School District) Denied

“DENIES defendant Fulton County School District’s Motion to Dismiss Amended Complaint [11]”

Motions to dismiss (individual school defendants) Granted in part

“GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the Individual School District Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Amended Complaint [12]”

Motion for leave to file opposition (defendants) Granted

“GRANTS defendants’ Motion for Leave to File Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Leave to Amend [13]”

Motion for leave to amend (plaintiffs) Granted

“GRANTS plaintiffs’ Second Motion to Amend Complaint [14].”

Singleton v. Board of Trustees, of Ibew Local 613 & Contributing Employers Health & Welfare Fund
· 1993-02-17
Motions to dismiss (plan administrator) Granted

“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss [2] is GRANTED.”

Johnson v. American Meter Co.
· 2004-08-30
Motions to dismiss (American Meter) Granted

“the Court GRANTS defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint with Prejudice [5].”

Mott v. Ledbetter
· 1992-09-25
Summary judgment (defendants) Granted in part

“Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment [19-1] is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.”

Austin v. Ameriquest Mortgage Co.
· 2007-02-27
Motions to remand (plaintiffs) Granted

“the Court GRANTS plaintiffs Motion to Remand [16]”

Motions to dismiss (Ameriquest) Moot / procedural

“DENIES as moot defendant’s motion to dismiss [2]”

Riggins v. Ambrose
· 2013-09-30
Bankruptcy appeal (appellant) Granted

“The Court REVERSES the bankruptcy court’s decision to reopen the case and REMANDS the case.”

Barnes v. Dekalb County
· 2012-09-24
Summary judgment (defendants) Granted in part

“defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment [79] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The fixed sample includes four prisoner civil-rights matters and one habeas case, plus trademark, copyright, employment, contract, and civil-forfeiture matters. All ten terminated; only one retained a substantive signer-attributed order.

A historical record

Judge Carnes 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.