Susan C. Rodriguez
How Judge Rodriguez rules, drawn from 14 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Rodriguez
Susan Courtwright Rodriguez is a judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Appointed by President Donald J. Trump, Judge Rodriguez received a commission on December 6, 2025.
Judge Rodriguez's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Rodriguez, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Do not deliver courtesy copies of memoranda or exhibits unless requested.
“Except as requested by the Court, parties should not deliver ‘courtesy copies’ of memoranda or exhibits to the Judge’s chambers or the Clerk of Court.”
Motions
An extension motion for a response or reply must include a proposed order and report opposing counsel’s view.
“If counsel require more than 14 days to file a response or 7 days to file a reply, a motion for extension of time shall be filed, accompanied by a proposed order. The moving party must show consultation with opposing counsel regarding the requested extension and must notify the Court of the views of opposing counsel on the request.”
Discovery
Before filing a motion to compel or another discovery-dispute motion, the parties must have an informal court conference.
“Before filing a motion to compel or any other motion related to a discovery dispute, the parties are required to schedule and submit to an informal conference with the Court.”
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026).
How Judge Rodriguez decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Carpenter, Rodriguez recommended allowing the City of Newton age discrimination claim to proceed because alleged age related comments close to termination, together with different treatment of a comparable employee, supported an inference at the pleading stage.
“This, combined with Plaintiff’s allegations related to the different responses to the similar conduct of Plaintiff and Lawing, create an inference of age discrimination at this initial stage.”
In Jackson, Rodriguez transferred the wage dispute to Virginia after finding that the defendant was based there, relevant witnesses were there, and venue appeared proper.
“Further, the action could have originally been brought in the Eastern District of Virginia where Defendant’s principal place of business is located, and venue there appears proper based on the current record before the Court.”
Procedural preferences
In Creech, Rodriguez recommended dismissal without prejudice for lack of personal jurisdiction and service, leaving the Rule 12(b)(6) merits issue unresolved.
“respectfully recommends that the Court not reach the merits of Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) because it lacks personal jurisdiction for the reasons stated above”
Cautions
In Nelson, Rodriguez recommended remand of a Social Security denial because the administrative decision did not explain the link between its findings and conclusion well enough for review.
“The hearing decision in its present form does not logically explain the ALJ’s decision. Accordingly, remand is required.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Plaintiff's Motion to Transfer (Doc. No. 13) is GRANTED. The Clerk is directed to transfer this action to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.”
“Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint (Doc. No. 9) be GRANTED IN PART and DISMISSED IN PART.”
“‘Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint’ (Doc. No. 11) be GRANTED.”
“‘Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint…’ (Doc. No. 16) be GRANTED pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2) and 12(b)(5) and that this matter be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“‘Plaintiff’s [Second] Motion to Remand’ (Doc. No. 18) be DENIED AS MOOT.”
“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 25) be GRANTED, and that Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint (Doc. No. 7) be DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“Commissioner’s decision be REVERSED and this matter be REMANDED for a new hearing pursuant to Sentence Four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g).”
“IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that: 1. The Magistrate Judge's M&R, (Doc. No. 26), is ADOPTED; 2. The Plaintiff's ‘Motion to Remand, Opposition to Defendant's Motion for Extension of Time, and to Impose Sanctions’ (Doc. No. 4) is DENIED.”
“Defendant's ‘Motion to Dismiss’ (Doc. No. 7) is administratively DENIED as moot without prejudice.”
“Defendants' Motion to Dismiss‘ (Doc. No. 13) is administratively DENIED as moot without prejudice.”
“the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART JGR’s Motion for Temporary Restraining Order.”
“the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART the Motion as follows:”
“Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Doc. No. 9) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
- Rodriguez's early district-judge caseload includes civil-rights and employment matters, Social Security review, insurance and consumer disputes, post-conviction cases, and criminal prosecutions.
- Several magistrate judges appear on referred civil matters.
- Her earlier magistrate service included recommendations and criminal pretrial orders in cases assigned to district judges.
- New assignments continued through August 10, 2026.
Pending matters in the official report
Reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts under the Civil Justice Reform Act, as of March 31, 2026.
| Motions pending more than six months | 0 |
| Bench trials submitted more than six months | 0 |
| Bankruptcy appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Social Security appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 4 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 4 |
| Sep 2025 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 0 |
A snapshot on that date: matters listed may since have been decided or reassigned. A motion referred to a magistrate judge is counted for both judges. Motions in multidistrict litigation, section 2255 cases and Social Security appeals are not counted, and a very large three-year count is generally a multidistrict docket. Source: Appendix A of the report (PDF); about the report.
How long civil cases take in this court
For the whole of United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, not for Judge Rodriguez: median time from filing to disposition of the civil cases the court closed in the 12 months ending September 30, 2025, as reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
| Cases | Median time | |
|---|---|---|
| All civil cases closed | 1,033 | 5.9 months |
| Closed with no court action | 193 | 3 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 586 | 5.1 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 248 | 13.2 months |
| Closed during trial | 6 | not reported |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 1,033 | 5.9 months |
| Sep 2024 | 1,154 | 5.5 months |
| Sep 2023 | 958 | 6.9 months |
| Sep 2022 | 1,210 | 10.1 months |
| Sep 2021 | 951 | 10.3 months |
| Sep 2020 | 873 | 8.5 months |
| Sep 2019 | 816 | 9.1 months |
The table leaves out prisoner petitions, land condemnations, deportation reviews, recovery of overpayments and enforcement of judgments, and reports no median for fewer than 10 cases. A district that closed a large multidistrict litigation in the period shows very large counts and long medians for that year. Source: Table C-5, U.S. District Courts (spreadsheet).
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