Susie Morgan
How Judge Morgan rules, drawn from 28 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Morgan decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Jones Act maintenance-and-cure cases she will not resolve the McCorpen intentional-concealment defense on summary judgment where the seaman disclosed the prior medical condition on his pre-hire medical-history questionnaire, because that disclosure defeats the concealment prong.
“IT IS ORDERED that OMC’s motion for partial summary judgment be and hereby is DENIED.”
Procedural preferences
She applies Rule 41(a)(1) literally: a plaintiff's pre-answer notice of voluntary dismissal is effective, and a pending Rule 12(b)(6) motion is not the equivalent of an answer or a summary-judgment motion that would cut it off; she declined to adopt the Second Circuit's equitable exception.
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendants' opposition to Plaintiff's voluntary dismissal is DENIED, and the case is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
On a contested fee recommendation, she independently scrutinizes proposed hourly rates, billing judgment, and the legal basis for costs rather than adopting the recommendation wholesale; she may require a supplemental calculation before fixing the award.
“The Court, having considered the record, the applicable law, relevant filings, and the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation, DECLINES TO ADOPT the Magistrate Judge’s findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect to the reasonableness of three of Plaintiff counsel’s hourly rates, Plaintiff counsel’s exercise of billing judgment, and the award of Plaintiff’s costs under Louisiana law.”
Cautions
She actively polices generative-AI misuse in briefing: after counsel filed a brief containing a fabricated case citation and a fabricated quotation produced by an AI tool without verifying them, she imposed a personal Rule 11 sanction and referred counsel to the district disciplinary committee. Verify every authority before filing.
“IT IS ORDERED that David C. Pellegrin is personally SANCTIONED for his conduct in this case in the amount of $1,000.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendants' motion to dismiss under Rule 12(c) is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff's Amended Complaint is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Spartan's motion for summary judgment be and hereby is DENIED.”
“Because the Court considered these matters, which are outside the pleadings, the Court dismisses Spartan's motion to dismiss as moot and rules on Spartan's alternative request for summary judgment under Rule 56.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Court's ruling on Defendant's motion for summary judgment is DEFERRED.”
“IT IS ORDERED that OMC’s motion for partial summary judgment be and hereby is DENIED.”
“the Plaintiffs’ claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Deputy Anthony Giovingo are hereby DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE, and Deputy Anthony Giovingo is dismissed as a defendant in this action.”
“the Motion to Dismiss ... be and hereby is GRANTED as to Plaintiff’s claims under the contracts clause of Article I, § 10 of the United States and the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment and DENIED as to Plaintiff’s claim under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
“IT IS ORDERED that the motion for summary judgment is GRANTED. Judgment is granted in favor of Defendants ... and against Plaintiff Minnie Ferguson on all claims.”
“Defendant’s motion to dismiss is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. ... Defendant’s motion to dismiss Plaintiff’s retaliatory hostile work environment claim is GRANTED. ... Defendant’s motion to dismiss Plaintiff’s remaining claims is DENIED.”
“IT IS ORDERED that the Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED as to all of Plaintiff’s federal law claims. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Court will not exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiff’s state law claims.”
“IT IS ORDERED that the motion for summary judgment is GRANTED. Judgment is granted in favor of Defendants ... and against Plaintiff Cezar Paz, individually and on behalf of his minor children ... on all claims.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED.”
“because this order grants summary judgment in Defendant's favor, the pending motion to dismiss and ex parte motion for a telephone status conference are DENIED AS MOOT.”
“IT IS ORDERED that the motion in limine is GRANTED.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the spoliation motion is DENIED.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the motion for summary judgment is GRANTED. Judgment is granted in favor of Defendants ... and against Plaintiff on all claims.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 42 days (N = 7).
From the enumerated 2021-2023 cases: a cluster of 'X v. United States' prisoner/habeas suits (thin docket record), Hurricane Ida first-party insurance (Petersen, Chubb), and intellectual-property suits (840 Trademark, 830 Patent), plus the long-running Sec.1983 civil-rights docket (Lawrence). NOS examples captured: 840 Trademark, 830 Patent, Civil Rights: Other, Insurance.
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