Laura K. McNally
How Judge McNally rules, drawn from 7 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge McNally decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A claimant obtained remand by identifying a specific gap in the required medical-opinion analysis: the administrative decision discussed consistency with other evidence but did not examine the treating physician's own supporting explanations and contrary treatment notes. The ruling treated that omission as consequential because the opinion, if credited, supported materially greater mental limitations.
“The ALJ’s failure to address the supportability of Dr. Chinn’s opinion resulted in an unlawful cherry-picking of the evidence.”
Procedural preferences
Her scheduling orders expect concrete and unforeseen reasons for repeated extensions. In one disability appeal she allowed two unopposed extensions but warned that ordinary workload would not justify another, and she separately denied an unnecessary request to exceed her word limit.
“The Court will not grant Plaintiff any further extensions absent unforeseeable good cause, and the obligations of other work will not be seen as unforeseeable good cause.”
Cautions
Arguments that merely select favorable evidence without showing that the administrative decision ignored a material line of proof are unlikely to obtain remand. Her affirmances emphasize that judicial review does not permit the court to reweigh conflicting evidence when the administrative explanation addresses both sides of the record.
“All of Plaintiff’s arguments regarding the evaluation of his mental impairments impermissibly ask the Court to reweigh evidence.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons explained above, the Court grants Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment (Dkt. 16) and denies Defendant’s brief in support of his summary judgment motion. (Dkt. 19.)”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court denies Plaintiff’s request seeking to reverse or remand the ALJ’s decision (Dkt. 16) and grants Defendant’s motion seeking to affirm. (Dkt. 17.)”
“For the reasons explained above, the Court grants Defendant’s motion for summary judgment (Dkt. 16) and denies Plaintiff’s request for remand (Dkt. 15.)”
“For the reasons explained above, the Court grants Plaintiff’s request for remand (Dkt. 15) and denies Defendant’s response in opposition. (Dkt. 18.)”
“For the reasons explained above, the Court grants Plaintiff’s request for remand (Dkt. 16) and denies Defendant’s response in opposition. (Dkt. 17.)”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court grants Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment seeking to reverse and remand the ALJ’s decision (Dkt. 15) and denies Defendant’s motion for summary judgment. (Dkt. 19).”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court denies Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment seeking to reverse and remand the ALJ’s decision (Dkt. 17) and grants Defendant’s motion for summary judgment. (Dkt. 20).”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed civil calendar is dominated by consent Social Security appeals, with a smaller set of consent personal-injury and other general civil matters. Her later exact-name results are primarily rotating criminal-duty and search-warrant proceedings rather than a general merits calendar.
Draft for Judge McNally with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge McNally, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge McNally's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace