Morton Denlow
Judge Denlow no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Denlow decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
In Social Security appeals he holds the ALJ to a duty to develop the record: an ALJ may not reject a long-time treating physician's opinion and then assess functional capacity on his own without citing supporting medical evidence; the right course is to recontact the source or call a medical expert.
“the ALJ committed reversible error in treating Dr. Everakes's assessment as having no probative value and failing to supplement the medical record by either seeking further input from Dr. Everakes or a medical expert”
Cautions
He is deferential to the ALJ's credibility findings when they are reasoned and supported, and will not reverse for failing to order more testing unless the claimant shows a specific, prejudicial omission from the record.
“The ALJ's determination is fully supported by substantial evidence and uncontradicted medical opinions.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Court grants Claimant's motion to reverse the decision of the Commissioner, denies the Commissioner's motion to affirm the Commissioner's decision, and remands the case to the Social Security Administration for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
“the Court denies Claimant's motion for summary judgment, grants the Commissioner's motion to affirm, and affirms the Commissioner's decision.”
“General Trust's Motion to Compel Production of Documents Or, Alternatively, for In Camera Review, is granted in part and denied in part. [Dkt. 283]. The motion is granted with respect to the motion for in camera review; Plaintiffs counsel has complied. The motion to compel production of documents to General Trust is denied.”
“the Court finds that Thomas Manning, individually, acted in contempt of court when he directed $40,700.78 of T. Manning Concrete, Inc.'s assets to be disbursed in violation of a valid citation to discover assets, of which he was aware. Respondent Manning is to restore $40,700.78 to the Company's account ... Further, judgment is entered in favor of the Funds and against Respondent Thomas Manning in the amount of $18,309.50 for attorney fees and court costs.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 460 days (N = 2).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 67 days (N = 1).
Denlow's docket combined referred discovery and nondispositive matters with full consent (636(c)) civil cases that he carried to final judgment -- a large volume of Social Security disability appeals plus ERISA benefit-fund collection actions, commercial disputes, and trust/fiduciary litigation. He was also widely used as a settlement and mediation judge. The duration sample below is two Social Security appeals only and is illustrative, not a representative caseload median.
A historical record
Judge Denlow 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.