Allen Sharp
Judge Sharp no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Sharp decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In employment-discrimination cases he applies the McDonnell Douglas framework rigorously and grants the defendant summary judgment absent a similarly-situated comparator or evidence that the employer's stated reasons were pretextual ('pretext means a lie').
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment is hereby GRANTED as to Mr. Hayman's claims. This case is now considered closed.”
Procedural preferences
Sharp enforces Northern District of Indiana Local Rule 56.1 strictly: where a party opposing summary judgment fails to file a compliant statement of genuine issues or a Rule 56(f) affidavit, he deems the movant's supported facts admitted -- a rule he has applied to grant even a pro se plaintiff's motion.
“(1) GRANTS the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment; (2) FINDS the defendant Rhoda Wicker liable to the plaintiff Jason Burkett ... for denying him medical treatment with deliberate indifference in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment”
Cautions
He denies Rule 54(b) certification that comes late under the Seventh Circuit's 30-day rule without an extreme-hardship excuse, and where the issue to be certified factually overlaps still-pending claims.
“Based on the foregoing, the ... Motion for Rule 54(b) Certification (Docket No. 19) is DENIED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment is hereby GRANTED as to Mr. Hayman's claims. This case is now considered closed.”
“(1) GRANTS the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment; (2) FINDS the defendant Rhoda Wicker liable to the plaintiff Jason Burkett ... for denying him medical treatment with deliberate indifference in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment”
“having determined that Phoenix Imagery's principal place of business was Indiana ... Indiana law applies to the coverage dispute and summary judgment in favor of Nautilus was proper.”
“Based on the foregoing, the ... Motion for Rule 54(b) Certification (Docket No. 19) is DENIED.”
A historical record
Judge Sharp 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.