Charles Robert Wolle
Judge Wolle no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Wolle decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In ERISA retiree-benefit disputes Wolle anchors the analysis in the controlling written plan documents and the reservation-of-rights language, treating unambiguous plan text as controlling over alleged oral promises of lifetime benefits. In Brubaker v. Deere, after a full liability bench trial, he held the written plans unambiguously reserved Deere's right to change benefits, so retirees could not reasonably rely on contrary oral representations. Practical lesson: a retiree-benefits plaintiff before this judge must overcome clear reservation-of-rights language in the plan, not merely point to oral assurances.
“this court concludes judgment must be entered in favor of Deere on all claims brought by the plaintiffs, with taxable costs to be paid by plaintiffs.”
Procedural preferences
Wolle prefers to resolve a contested motion to dismiss without foreclosing the issue prematurely: in Eggers v. Wells Fargo (from the broader docket record) he denied the bank's motion to dismiss the Iowa-Civil-Rights-Act claims 'without prejudice to defendant reasserting its grounds for ending this case by motion for summary judgment,' i.e. routing a fact-laden challenge to the summary-judgment stage rather than dismissing on the pleadings. Counsel should expect threshold legal challenges that depend on a developed record to be pushed to summary judgment.
“ORDER denying 47 Motion to Dismiss without prejudice to defendant reasserting its grounds for ending this case by motion for summary judgment. Signed by Senior Judge Charles R. Wolle on 9/11/2015.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The court grants the EEOC motion for partial summary judgment.”
ERISA class action by Deere retirees alleging Deere promised lifetime fixed retiree medical benefits and breached them through its 2008 'Healthy Directions' program. After expedited discovery and a bifurcated bench trial on liability from September 21 to October 2, 2009, Wolle entered judgment for Deere on all claims, holding that the written plan documents unambiguously reserved Deere's right to change benefits and that retirees could not reasonably rely on contrary oral representations. This was a post-trial final judgment rather than a ruling on a party motion.
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that summary judgment be entered against plaintiffs and in favor of defendants Celotex Corp., Certainteed Corp., Garlock, Inc., Armstrong World Industries, Inc., Flintkote Co., and Vapor Corp.”
“Defendants' motions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction are denied.”
“Defendant's motion for summary judgment is granted. The clerk shall enter judgment for defendant and against plaintiffs, at plaintiffs' cost.”
“Defendant has demonstrated it is entitled to summary judgment. The clerk of court shall enter summary judgment for the defendant and against the plaintiff, with costs taxed to the plaintiff.”
“Plaintiff's motion to remand is granted. This action is remanded to the Iowa District Court for Story County for further proceedings.”
“Plaintiff's resisted motion to remand this case to the Iowa District Court for Mahaska County is denied.”
“The defendant's motion for new trial is denied.”
“The court denies plaintiffs' motion to reopen this case they previously dismissed.”
“The court denies plaintiff's motion to remand this case to the Iowa District Court for Polk County.”
“Plaintiffs' motion to remand is granted. The clerk of court shall remand this case to the Iowa District Court for Johnson County for further proceedings.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 413 days (N = 7).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 94 days (N = 3).
The reviewed sample covers about 17 cases filed from 1998 through 2020, excluding three suits in which Judge Wolle was a named defendant rather than the presiding judge. It includes employment and civil-rights claims under Title VII and the ADA, ERISA, securities, FELA, and a substantial group of Social Security disability appeals. The sample shows subject-matter breadth but is not a complete docket census.
A historical record
Judge Wolle 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.