Karen Wells Roby
How Judge Roby decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
On a mixed habeas petition (containing both exhausted and unexhausted claims) she recommends dismissal without prejudice for failure to exhaust, offering the Rose v. Lundy alternative of amending to present only the exhausted claims.
“the report and recommendation ... of United States Magistrate Judge Karen Wells Roby. Magistrate Judge Roby recommends that the Court dismiss without prejudice Vince's 'mixed' habeas petition because Vince failed to exhaust state-court review of two of his four habeas claims ... '[A]s an alternative to dismissal,' however, Magistrate Judge Roby explains that Vince may amend his habeas petition to dismiss the two unexhausted habeas claims and to present only the two properly exhausted habeas claims. ... the Court overrules the objection, approves the report and recommendation, and adopts the report and recommendation as the Court's opinion.”
Cautions
On referred 28 U.S.C. 2254 habeas petitions Roby recommends dismissal with prejudice where the petition is untimely, and district judges adopt her recommendation on clear-error review.
“David Rushing's petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. sec 2254 was referred to Magistrate Judge Karen Wells Roby for a Report and Recommendation ('R&R'). Magistrate Judge Roby subsequently recommended dismissal of the petition as time-barred. ... The Court finds no clear error. Thus, the Court adopts Magistrate Roby's R&R as its opinion. ... Rushing's petition for a writ of habeas corpus is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
Roby's own signed R&R ('/s/ KAREN WELLS ROBY, CHIEF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE'). Pro se prisoner sec1983 (in forma pauperis, referred under 28 U.S.C. 636(b)(1)(B)/(C), 1915e(2), 1915A). RECOMMENDED that 'Gonzalez's complaint against defendants Darrell Peters and Ronald Branch be DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE for failure to serve pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m) and for failure to prosecute under Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b).' Plaintiff never served two defendants and did not comply with the show-cause order. Recommended dismissal with prejudice (clear record of delay; lesser sanctions futile -- Berry v. CIGNA). This recommendation did not resolve a party motion. The available record does not establish whether the district judge later adopted it.
Roby's own signed R&R ('/s/ KAREN WELLS ROBY, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE'). Pro se prisoner sec1983 conditions-of-confinement complaint (transferred in from W.D. La.; referred under 636(b)(1)(B)/(C), 1915e(2), 1915A, 42 U.S.C. 1997e). Plaintiff never cured deficiencies (no form complaint, no filing fee/pauper application) and did not respond to the show-cause order. RECOMMENDED: 'Elijah Brown's sec1983 civil rights complaint be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for his failure to prosecute pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 41(b).' Recommended dismissal without prejudice. This recommendation did not resolve a party motion. The available record does not establish whether the district judge later adopted it.
“David Rushing's petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. sec 2254 was referred to Magistrate Judge Karen Wells Roby for a Report and Recommendation ('R&R'). Magistrate Judge Roby subsequently recommended dismissal of the petition as time-barred. ... The Court finds no clear error. Thus, the Court adopts Magistrate Roby's R&R as its opinion. ... Rushing's petition for a writ of habeas corpus is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“the report and recommendation ... of United States Magistrate Judge Karen Wells Roby. Magistrate Judge Roby recommends that the Court dismiss without prejudice Vince's 'mixed' habeas petition because Vince failed to exhaust state-court review of two of his four habeas claims ... '[A]s an alternative to dismissal,' however, Magistrate Judge Roby explains that Vince may amend his habeas petition to dismiss the two unexhausted habeas claims and to present only the two properly exhausted habeas claims. ... the Court overrules the objection, approves the report and recommendation, and adopts the report and recommendation as the Court's opinion.”
Sua sponte recommendation of Rule 41(b) failure-to-prosecute dismissal without prejudice of a pro se prisoner civil-rights complaint (no party motion).
Sua sponte recommendation to transfer venue of a pro se civil-rights case to the Central District of California (no party motion).
“Motion for Contempt (R. Doc. 28) is GRANTED.”
“Motion to Enforce Judgment (ECF No. 38) DENIED as premature.”
Sua sponte recommendation of Rule 41(b) failure-to-prosecute dismissal without prejudice of a pro se prisoner civil-rights complaint (no party motion).
“Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint (ECF No. 6) is DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
From the 10 enumerated consent dockets (filed 2022-2025): her 636(c) merits docket is dominated by TITLE VII EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION (42:2000e -- Jefferson Parish/Plaquemines school boards, Tulane, charter schools) plus Social Security appeals (42:405) and prisoner civil rights (42:1983). Employment cases trend toward settlement at her conferences (she is a noted settlement judge). NOS/cause examples below.
Put Judge Roby's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Roby actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Roby's own signed orders and cites them.