Diana Esther Murphy
How Judge Murphy rules, drawn from 15 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Murphy no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Murphy decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Minnesota Milk Producers, Murphy accepted the agency's permissible reading of the statute but still required its final decision to address the factors Congress expressly identified.
“The Secretary's statutory interpretation of the AMAA as only requiring uniform prices within each marketing order is reasonable and not contrary to an expressed intent of Congress. The Secretary's final decision, however, is arbitrary and capricious because he admittedly failed to consider the factors listed in § 608c(18), as required by the plain language of the statute.”
In Lundgren, Murphy treated a group tort claim as sufficient where it identified the claimants, supplied investigative information, and stated a total amount.
“Under certain circumstances, a single sum certain may be sufficient to cover a claim for a group of claimants.”
Procedural preferences
In Northwest Airlines, Murphy consolidated duplicative litigation in the first forum to conserve judicial resources and avoid conflicting orders.
“In the absence of compelling circumstances, the district court first obtaining jurisdiction over the parties should proceed to adjudicate the controversy and should restrain the parties from proceeding in a later filed action.”
In Mga Susu, Murphy invalidated a permit regime that left protected expression subject to open-ended official discretion and delay.
“The development code lacks the procedural safeguards required by FW/PBS, and therefore is unconstitutional as applied to ‘recreational facilities’ that enjoy first amendment protection.”
Cautions
In Davidson, Murphy found that a brief series of related predicate acts did not establish continuity without evidence of future unlawful activity.
“predicate acts extending over a relatively short period, without the threat of future criminal activity, are insufficient to satisfy the continuity prong.”
In Red Lake Band, Murphy declined to infer a federal income-tax exemption from general treaty protections where no text definitely expressed one.
“No exemption may be found in a treaty’s silence.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the motion of the plaintiff for summary judgment is granted, and that of the defendant is denied”
“the motion of the plaintiff for a preliminary injunction is granted”
“Accordingly, defendants’ motion for summary judgment should be granted.”
“Plaintiffs' motion to amend their admission should be granted.”
“the motions for leave to file supplemental memoranda are granted”
“defendant’s motion to strike the affidavit of Marc Diamond is denied”
“plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is granted as to defendant’s separate . counterclaim for unfair competition, and that count is dismissed”
“defendants’ motion for summary judgment is granted, and plaintiffs’ complaint is dismissed with prejudice.”
“plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment is denied.”
“The motion of the United States of America to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction is denied”
“The motion of the United States of America for summary judgment is denied.”
“defendants' motions to dismiss or for summary judgment are denied”
“plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment is granted, and judgment shall be entered in their favor against defendants.”
“defendant's motion for summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part.”
“plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment is denied in part and granted in part.”
“the motion of Northwest Airlines, Inc., is granted, and American Airlines, Inc. is enjoined at this time from proceeding further with its lawsuit”
“Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary in-junctive relief is denied”
“plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment is denied”
“defendant’s motion for summary judgment is granted, and the ease is dismissed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 2807 days (N = 5).
The five earliest located matters were filed from October 1980 through June 1983. The available metadata identified two product-liability matters, one contract matter, one patent matter, and one matter without a subject classification; all five were terminated.
A historical record
Judge Murphy no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.