Robert Hardy Cleland
How Judge Cleland decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On trade-dress summary judgment, grants a plaintiff's motion on counterclaims, distinctiveness, and non-functionality but denies it on infringement where the plaintiff has not proved every required element.
“Plaintiff In-N-Out's motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 32) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.”
Procedural preferences
Grants Rule 12(c) judgment on the pleadings on a federal count and then declines supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state-law claims, dismissing them without prejudice.
“Defendant Esbri's “Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings & for Summary Judgment” (ECF No. 29) is GRANTED to the extent that he is entitled to judgment on the pleadings as it relates to Count I.”
Cautions
Treats reconsideration as not a vehicle for 'a second bite at the apple'; denies it absent an outcome-changing mistake, and grants 28 U.S.C. 1292(b) interlocutory certification only sparingly.
“IT IS ORDERED that Berg's “Motion for Rehearing, or Reconsideration or, in the Alternative, to Certify An Order for Interlocutory Appeal” (ECF No. 34) is DENIED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendant Esbri's “Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings & for Summary Judgment” (ECF No. 29) is GRANTED to the extent that he is entitled to judgment on the pleadings as it relates to Count I.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 44) is GRANTED. A separate judgment will issue.”
“Plaintiff In-N-Out's motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 32) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendants' joint Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 37) is DENIED.”
“Defendants' motion for summary judgment on the basis of exhaustion and to dismiss is GRANTED. Defendant Golson is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
“Defendants' Christoff, Warren and Greason claims in their official capacities are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff's “Motion for Entry of Judgment and for Return of Copies” (ECF No. 52) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Berg's “Motion for Rehearing, or Reconsideration or, in the Alternative, to Certify An Order for Interlocutory Appeal” (ECF No. 34) is DENIED.”
“the motions will be denied”
Acting on its own show-cause order, the court vacated its prior summary judgment and judgment against Salient, reopened the case, and set aside the clerk's entry of default after finding certified-mail service improper, while granting a short extension to perfect service. A pending motion for determination of defense costs and default judgment (ECF No. 37) was terminated as moot: quote "(ECF No. 37) is TERMINATED AS MOOT." No party motion was decided on the merits.
“request for early termination of supervised release (ECF No. 38) is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
“petition for writ of habeas corpus (ECF 1) is DENIED”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed matters include trademark, contract, employment-disability, prisoner civil-rights, and First Amendment cases. Judge Cleland's reduced senior docket also includes warrant and miscellaneous duty matters, which are excluded from the merits mix. This is a descriptive sample, not a complete caseload count.
Put Judge Cleland's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Cleland actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Cleland's own signed orders and cites them.