Deborah K. Chasanow

How Judge Chasanow rules, drawn from 23 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
United States District Court for the District of Maryland
Position
district
Appointed by
Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Commissioned
1993-10-20
Education
Rutgers University, B.A. (1970); Stanford Law School, J.D. (1974)
Signed orders read
23

How Judge Chasanow decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

In Elyazidi, Chasanow declined Rule 11 sanctions where counsel had a legal basis for testing a losing consumer claim.

“there is a difference between a losing case and a frivolous one.”

Procedural preferences

In Smith, Chasanow enforced the sequencing limits on successive Rule 12 motions and deferred a choice-of-law-sensitive merits issue until the pleadings closed or the record developed.

“The first is not allowed because Defendant failed to raise this defense in its first Rule 12 motion, and the second is only appropriate after the pleadings are closed, which has not happened here.”

At the pleading stage, she accepts well-pleaded allegations as true and will not resolve a defendant's competing factual account through a dismissal motion.

“Officer Lavin’s factual disputes with Mr. Akinola’s amended complaint again misunderstand the burden at the motion to dismiss stage, where the court accepts the facts in the complaint as true.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Tongue v. Scott
8:05-cv-01782 · 2006-08-17
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted in part

“Defendant’s motion to dismiss will be granted with regard to her whistleblower, Title VII hostile work environment, and wrongful discharge claims.”

Motion for sanctions (defendant) Denied

“Mr. Karpinski’s motion for sanctions will be denied.”

Industrial Unlimited v. National Amusement Entertainment, Inc.
8:05-cv-02685 · 2005-10-07
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“Defendants’ motion to dismiss will be granted.”

Shield Our Constitutional Rights and Justice v. Wilcher
8:09-cv-00151 · 2010-04-06
Motion for reconsideration (plaintiff) Denied

“Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration, motions for extension of time and a partial temporary stay, and motion for sanctions will be denied.”

Motion for extension of time and partial stay (plaintiff) Denied
Motion for sanctions (plaintiff) Denied
Shield Our Constitutional Rights and Justice v. Tippett
8:09-cv-00152 · 2009-10-28
Motion for reconsideration (plaintiff) Denied

“Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration will be denied.”

Bethesda Softworks LLC v. Interplay Entertainment Corp.
8:09-cv-02357 · 2011-04-25
Motion for sanctions (plaintiff) Granted in part

“the motion for sanctions filed by Bethesda Softworks will be granted in part and denied in part.”

Mitchell v. Wolfe
8:09-cv-02364 · 2010-07-08
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative for Summary Judgment is granted.”

General Electric Capital Corp. v. Dream Tours, Inc.
8:09-cv-03149 · 2010-07-16
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Granted in part

“Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment will be granted in part.”

Robinson v. Warden
8:10-cv-02152 · 2011-02-02
Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Denied

“A preliminary injunction will be denied.”

Void v. One West Bank
8:11-cv-00838 · 2012-01-12
Motion for reconsideration (plaintiff) Denied

“The motion for reconsideration filed by Plaintiff Baldwin Void (ECF No. 26) BE, and the same hereby IS, DENIED;”

Akinkoye v. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
8:11-cv-02336 · 2011-12-12
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“the motion to dismiss filed by Defendants will be granted”

Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Denied

“the motion filed by Plaintiff for preliminary injunction will be denied.”

Blackburn v. Correctional Medical Services
8:11-cv-02345 · 2012-10-09
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“the court will grant Defendant’s amended motion for summary judgment”

Elyazidi v. SunTrust Bank
8:13-cv-02204 · 2014-02-28
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“the motions to dismiss will be granted”

Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted
Motion for sanctions (defendant) Denied

“the motion for sanctions will be denied.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 121 days (N = 5).

Median motion-to-ruling time: 8.5 days (N = 2).

The sampled matters include bankruptcy appeal, contract, FLSA, consumer reporting, FOIA, civil rights, and newly filed emergency-injunction litigation. Five cases were terminated and five remained pending at the time of review.

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