Karen Frink Wolf
How Judge Wolf rules, drawn from 5 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Wolf decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Wolf will recommend dismissal on an independent, alternative ground, factual frivolousness under the court's inherent authority, even where the complaint might also fail Rule 12(b)(6)'s plausibility standard, giving the district judge two independent bases to adopt.
“More fundamentally, the motions to dismiss should be granted under the Court's inherent authority to dismiss frivolous actions alleging fantastic scenarios.”
Procedural preferences
On a non-dispositive discovery dispute (here, a defense request to bifurcate proceedings around a statute-of-limitations issue), Wolf resolves the underlying state-law question herself where doing so would not expedite the case, rather than deferring it to a later summary-judgment stage, and the district judge affirmed that approach on review.
“the Magistrate Judge based her ruling on her legal determination that 14 M.R.S. Sec. 752-C sets aside the otherwise applicable statute of limitations for Plaintiff's claims under the Maine Civil Rights Act ... Defendants' objection (ECF No. 104) to the Magistrate Judge's Order on Motion for Bifurcation and Motion for Judicial Notice (ECF No. 103) is OVERRULED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the foregoing reasons, I recommend that the Court GRANT the Defendants' motions (ECF Nos. 13, 16), DISMISS Browdy's complaint, and DEEM MOOT all other pending motions.”
“Accordingly, I recommend that the Court DENY Lantos's motion to amend his complaint, GRANT the Commissioner's motion, and DISMISS Lantos's complaint.”
On preliminary screening under 28 U.S.C. 1915(e)(2)(B) of an in forma pauperis complaint against the Department of Justice, Wolf recommended sua sponte dismissal for improper venue and sovereign immunity. She also warned that further groundless filings by this self-described serial litigant could lead to filing restrictions.
“For the foregoing reasons, I recommend that the Court GRANT the Motion to Dismiss and DISMISS the Complaint for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.”
“Plaintiff’s Motion in Limine to Exclude Cumulative Expert Testimony (ECF No. 44). DENIED.”
“Plaintiff’s Motion in Limine to Bar Argument or Evidence that Maine Medical Center Bears Fault (ECF No. 45). GRANTED WITHOUT OBJECTION.”
“Plaintiff’s Motion in Limine to Exclude Evidence of Collateral Source Benefits (ECF No. 46). GRANTED IN PART.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude Evidence of Lost Household Services (ECF No. 37). DENIED.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude Undisclosed Expert Opinion of Samantha Colver, D.O. (ECF No. 38). DENIED.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude Evidence of Unvested Pension Benefits (ECF No. 39). DENIED.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude Evidence of Loss of Consortium (ECF No. 40). GRANTED IN PART.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude Evidence of Other Malpractice Claims (ECF No. 41). GRANTED WITHOUT OBJECTION.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude Evidence of Liability Insurance (ECF No. 42). GRANTED WITHOUT OBJECTION.”
“Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Preclude So-Called Reptile Tactics (ECF No. 43). DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Much of Wolf's docket consists of magistrate-specific miscellaneous matters (search and seizure warrants, electronic-device extraction orders, grand-jury-related applications) rather than civil party litigation; her civil caseload includes a consent Social Security disability-appeal docket and ERISA, foreclosure, and civil-rights cases referred to her for pretrial management.
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