JoAnna Gibson McFadden
How Judge McFadden rules, drawn from 9 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge McFadden decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In a discovery dispute, will order a party to investigate whether it can produce data in a more useful aggregated format from its own existing systems, rather than accepting a bare assertion that the requested format is unavailable, when the record leaves that assertion in doubt.
“The Court therefore orders that Voltage investigate and determine whether it can easily produce the cost data by project by, e.g., generating a report from its internal database.”
Procedural preferences
Prefers consolidation over dismissal when a second, related suit raises a claim-splitting concern but the cases share overlapping factual and legal questions and consolidation would not meaningfully prejudice the defendant.
“Ultimately, the court need not resolve the claim-splitting question, because even assuming arguendo that this action involves claim-splitting, consolidation, rather than dismissal, is the appropriate remedy.”
Will not treat a bare assertion of privacy or reputational harm as sufficient to overcome the presumption of open proceedings; requires concrete, non-speculative evidence of a specific risk before allowing a party to litigate anonymously against a private party.
“Doe has not shown ‘extraordinary circumstances’ warranting use of a pseudonym. Doe's stated privacy interests -- avoiding a speculative risk of retaliation and/or adverse actions by future employers -- do not outweigh the public's right of access to judicial proceedings.”
Cautions
An unopposed summary-judgment motion does not win automatically; even when the nonmoving party leaves the facts uncontroverted, she requires the movant to establish a legal entitlement to judgment.
“although Monroe’s failure to respond may leave the defendants’ facts uncontroverted, they ‘must still show that the uncontroverted facts entitle [them] to “a judgment as a matter of law.”’”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Court GRANTS IN PART Shoals's motion to compel, Docket Entry 216, as follows: Voltage SHALL produce the emails responsive to Shoals's Requests for Production Nos. 8, 12, and 56. In response to Shoals's Interrogatory No. 12, Voltage SHALL specify any facts it will use to show non-willfulness, to the extent such facts exist.”
“Because USConnect has pled facts sufficient to support the claims alleged in Counts Three and Four and Six through Eight, the Court should deny the motion as to those counts. Because USConnect has not pled facts establishing that it was the origin of the goods central to its Lanham Act passing off claim, the Court should grant the motion as to Count Five.”
“IT IS THEREFORE RECOMMENDED that the Court DENY the defendants' motion to dismiss; IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED that the Court GRANT USConnect's motion to consolidate 1:25CV692 and 1:26CV174.”
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that the Court GRANT Defendants Couzzi, Kluk, and Rodgers’ motion for summary judgment and dismiss the claim against them with prejudice”
“IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED that the Court GRANT Defendant Joanna Peach’s motion for summary judgment and dismiss the claim against her with prejudice.”
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Joanna Peach’s motion to seal is DENIED”
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that the Court GRANT the defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, without prejudice, based on lack of personal jurisdiction.”
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that the Court DENY Brandon Otha Martin’s Motion for Summary Judgment.”
“Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the final decision of the Commissioner is upheld.”
“Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the final decision of the Commissioner is upheld.”
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that the Court GRANT the motion for summary judgment filed under Docket Entry 26.”
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the defendants’ motion to seal, Docket Entry 29, is DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
- The referral docket found so far is broad and still overwhelmingly pending: patent and ERISA cases, employment and civil-rights suits, a securities case, prisoner civil-rights and habeas matters, and a handful of consent-jurisdiction civil cases.
- Most referred motions, including a still-pending preliminary-injunction motion in a civil-rights suit against a town and county, and a still-pending patent motion to dismiss, have not yet been ruled on.
- Two grounded, non-dispositive rulings were found: a denial of a motion to proceed under a pseudonym in an employment-discrimination suit, and a denial (without prejudice) of an unrepresented corporate defendant's motion for an extension of time to answer.
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