Thomas Woodrow Thrash Jr.
How Judge Thrash decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Draws a firm line in malicious-prosecution cases between a citizen who merely reports facts and one who actively 'instigates' a prosecution; will dismiss against a reporter unless the plaintiff alleges knowingly false or materially incomplete statements that influenced the officer's independent judgment.
“a party merely relays facts to an official who then makes an independent decision to arrest or prosecute ... in the latter case there is not [potential liability]”
Procedural preferences
As MDL transferee judge, declines to keep state-law claims he supervised when the transferor courts are better placed to apply their own state law; remands unfamiliar NYGBL/CCRA claims rather than deciding them.
“the transferor courts, each of which is familiar with the state law of their respective jurisdictions, are in a better position to assess the parties' state law arguments”
Will not let a plaintiff add a wholly new legal claim for the first time in a brief opposing dismissal; confines the case to the claims actually pleaded in the complaint.
“that does not mean that a plaintiff can surreptitiously attempt to add a wholly new claim in a response briefing. The Court will not address these arguments.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 1220] is GRANTED with respect to Douglas Adams ... [and seven other opt-out plaintiffs]. The Court GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 1220] with respect to Audella Patterson, Brett Joshpe, Richard Khalaf, and Anna Lee.”
“The Defendant Miller's Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 29] is GRANTED. The Plaintiffs' state claims against the Defendant Miller are DISMISSED.”
“The Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [Doc. 41] is granted on those issues.”
“The Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 35] is DENIED.”
“The Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 42 & 45] is GRANTED.”
“The Defendants' Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 28] is GRANTED.”
“Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 64] is DENIED”
“Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 65] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 66] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 74] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [Doc. 125] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 118] is GRANTED without prejudice to refiling a Second Amended Complaint”
“Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED [Doc. 22]”
“Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 17] is DENIED”
“Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings [Doc. 25] is DENIED as premature without prejudice to refile within thirty days of any responsive pleading filed by Hampton Court”
“Motion to Dismiss the First Amended Complaint [Doc. 43] is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part”
“Motion to Dismiss the Class Action Complaint [Doc. 33] is DENIED as moot”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 528 days (N = 9).
Mix from case-level docket records; most carry no administrative case-closure row (2020-21 filings). General civil docket plus the Equifax multidistrict litigation reflected in his published orders.
Put Judge Thrash's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Thrash actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Thrash's own signed orders and cites them.