Lyonel Thomas Senter Jr.
Judge Senter no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Senter decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Senter denied summary disposition when material factual disputes prevented the court from resolving qualified immunity on the written record.
“There are simply too many disputed questions of fact tied up with the issue of qualified immunity to summarily grant Jordan the protection afforded by that defense.”
Senter treated actual agreement as a prerequisite to arbitration, notwithstanding the general federal policy favoring arbitrable disputes.
“There was no notice, no discussion, and no negotiation of the arbitration endorsement”
Procedural preferences
Senter gave little weight to a chosen forum when the dispute had no meaningful connection to Mississippi and the filing reflected forum shopping.
“When the plaintiff engages in such blatant forum shopping, little, if any, deference should be given to her choice of forum.”
Senter evaluated personal jurisdiction with attention to the practical burden of forcing an out-of-state defendant to litigate an out-of-state accident in Mississippi.
“The court finds that it would be extraordinarily burdensome upon the defendant to be subject to trial in the Northern District of Mississippi for an automobile accident which occurred in Tennessee.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“That the defendant’s motion for partial summary judgment is sustained.”
“defendant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”
“Therefore, the defendant’s motion for summary judgment is granted.”
“the defendant’s motion to transfer this action to the Western District of Tennessee will be granted.”
“defendants’ joint motion to dismiss is denied.”
“The petitioner’s motion for summary judgment is denied.”
“The respondents’ motion to dismiss under Rule 9(b) is granted.”
“the court finds that defendant has indeed made the requisite showing entitling it to summary dismissal of this cause.”
“That the motion to remand is granted;”
“That the request of plaintiff and defendant Estate of Kelvin Tunstall for costs and expenses is granted against the removing parties”
“Defendants’ motion to dismiss the constitutional claims is granted, and they are hereby dismissed with prejudice.”
“Summary judgment is therefore granted in favor of the justice court and the county”
“plaintiffs cross-motion for summary judgment is denied in its entirety.”
“The motion to strike is also denied.”
“defendant’s motion to dismiss for lack of in personam jurisdiction is well taken and is granted.”
“That the motion of defendant Carpenter Company for summary judgment is well taken and is hereby granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Five sampled historical case records were terminated, but none retained a chronological entry stream; no docket-motion or timing conclusions are drawn.
A historical record
Judge Senter 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.