David Bryan Sentelle
How Judge Sentelle rules, drawn from 16 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Sentelle left this court for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Sentelle
David Bryan Sentelle was a judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, Judge Sentelle received a commission on October 17, 1985. Judge Sentelle left the court on October 19, 1987 on appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
How Judge Sentelle decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Gardner, Sentelle followed the state supreme court's treatment of latent disease rather than earlier federal predictions when construing the product statute of repose.
“this Court must disagree with the Hyer and Silver cases decided prior to the enlightenment offered by Wilder”
In McDowell, Sentelle reduced but allowed defense fees only after the trial evidence established that the civil-rights claim was groundless rather than merely unsuccessful.
“This Court expressly finds plaintiffs complaint here to be ‘groundless’ and ‘without foundation’”
Procedural preferences
In Gardner, Sentelle resolved the dispute by statutory construction and expressly declined to reach the alternative constitutional challenge.
“Since this Court now holds that the statute does not apply, it is not necessary to reach the constitutional question.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the decision of the magistrate dismissing this prosecution is affirmed.”
“The decision of the Bankruptcy Court is AFFIRMED.”
“defendants’ motions for dismissal are allowed by Order filed contemporaneously herewith.”
“this motion will be allowed, though not in the full amount prayed by the defendants.”
“This court, therefore, is awarding defendants summary judgment by Order filed contemporaneously herewith.”
“defendant’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment is denied.”
“the court will issue, and by Order filed contemporaneously with this memorandum has issued, the preliminary relief prayed by the plaintiffs.”
“Based on the foregoing, the EPA is entitled to summary judgment”
“The motion is ALLOWED, and the items were considered in reaching this decision.”
“The motion to dismiss or for summary judgment of the defendant State of North Carolina is ALLOWED.”
“The motion to dismiss or for summary judgment of the defendant James T. Rusher is ALLOWED individuálly and in his official capacity.”
“The motion to dismiss or for summary judgment of the defendant B.R. Baker, Jr., Detective, Avery County Sheriffs Department, is ALLOWED in his official capacity and DENIED in his individual capacity.”
“That plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment is allowed.”
“plaintiff’s motion for withdrawal of mandate is hereby DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No exact-name federal docket records were returned for Sentelle's 1985–1987 district tenure, so no historical caseload mix is reported.
A historical record
Judge Sentelle left this court for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.