Debra C. Freeman
How Judge Freeman rules, drawn from 7 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Freeman no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Freeman
Debra C. Freeman served as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Southern District of New York from 2001 through 2025 and served as chief magistrate judge. She earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a law degree from New York University School of Law.
How Judge Freeman decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Scoran, a Jones Act injury case heard by consent, she denied the seaman’s partial-summary-judgment motion concerning unseaworthiness and affirmative defenses.
“Plaintiff has moved for partial summary judgment (Dkt. 30) ... and a finding by the Court that the vessel was unseaworthy as a matter of law. For the reasons discussed below, Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment is denied.”
Cautions
In DeCastro v. Kavadia, Freeman recommended an adverse inference instruction and reimbursement of fees after finding spoliation and willful nonproduction of evidence. The district judge adopted her recommendation.
“Having considered the parties’ several submissions, as well as Kavadia’s testimony, as discussed further below, this Court has determined, as a matter of fact, that Kavadia has engaged in the spoliation and willful non-production of evidence. Accordingly, I recommend that the jury be given an adverse inference instruction and that Plaintiffs be awarded the reasonable attorney’s fees and costs they incurred in moving for sanctions.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendants have moved for summary judgment (Dkt. 37), seeking dismissal of all of Wali's claims. For the reasons discussed below, Defendants' summary judgment motion is granted.”
“Plaintiff has moved for partial summary judgment (Dkt. 30) ... and a finding by the Court that the vessel was unseaworthy as a matter of law. For the reasons discussed below, Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment is denied.”
“Currently before the Court is Defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing all of Plaintiff's claims. (Dkt. 32.) For the reasons discussed below, Defendant's motion for summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part.”
“The Court therefore grants Defendants' cross-motion (Dkt. 55) for summary judgment in part, and dismisses all of Plaintiff's claims against Global and Kaczor, as well as any of Plaintiff's claims against Bobko that are based on the Global transactions. Defendant's cross-motion is otherwise denied.”
“the Court concludes that Plaintiff has not demonstrated the absence of material issues of fact. Accordingly, that motion (Dkt. 48) is denied, as is Plaintiff's motion to dismiss Bobko's counterclaim.”
“that motion (Dkt. 48) is denied, as is Plaintiff's motion to dismiss Bobko's counterclaim.”
“For the reasons set forth herein, Petitioners' motion to compel is denied, except that Respondent is directed to produce certain documents to this Court for in camera review.”
“For the reasons discussed below, Plaintiff's motion is granted as to the claim for conversion and denied as to the claim for violation of New York Judiciary Law.”
“the Report and Recommendation of Magistrate Judge Freeman dated August 23, 2013 shall be ADOPTED in its entirety. Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment as to Plaintiff's claims of discrimination based on age and religion but DENIES Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment as to Plaintiff's claim that Defendant discriminated against him in violation of the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (‘ADA’).”
In a damages inquest following default judgment in a home-renovation contractor case, Freeman's R&R recommended awarding no damages because the plaintiff's submissions were 'wholly inadequate to support her damages claims.' She also recommended vacating the default judgment on negligence, fraud, deceptive-trade, and conversion claims as inadequately pleaded, with leave to replead conversion only. District Judge J. Paul Oetken adopted the unobjected R&R in its entirety. The inquest shows Freeman's exacting approach to default-judgment damages proof. Grounding quote: 'After reviewing Magistrate Judge Freeman's thorough and thoughtful R & R, to which no objections were filed, this Court concludes that there is no clear error and, accordingly, adopts the R & R in its entirety ... ORDERED that no damages are awarded to Plaintiff as a result of Defendants' breach of contract.'
“For these reasons, the Court ADOPTS the R & R in its entirety. In accordance with the R & R, the jury shall be given an adverse inference instruction. Plaintiffs shall be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs in an amount to be determined by Judge Freeman.”
“This Court adopts the Report and Recommendation in its entirety. The City Defendants' motion to dismiss is GRANTED in its entirety.”
“The State Defendants' motion to dismiss is GRANTED IN PART, AND DENIED IN PART, consistent with this opinion.”
“The State Defendants' motion to sever is DENIED as moot.”
“The State Defendants' motion to transfer to the Western District of New York is GRANTED.”
“Keitt's motion for leave to amend is DENIED without prejudice to renew in the Western District of New York.”
“ORDERED that the motion (Docket No. 32) of defendant James Iniguez to dismiss the complaint of plaintiff Daniel J. O'Callaghan is GRANTED; and it is further ORDERED that on motion of the Court the complaint as to defendant Adam Sifre is dismissed.”
“ORDERED that the Order of Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman dated October 3, 2011 ... is adopted in its entirety, and the motion of Michael Mantell ... for reconsideration of the October 3 Order is DENIED; and it is further ORDERED that ... Mantell is directed to pay to defendants ... $18,562.50 representing attorneys fees and $85.22 of costs incurred by defendants.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed assignments span 2002 through 2022 and include Social Security disability appeals, wage-and-hour cases, personal-injury matters, employment and other civil-rights disputes, and contract cases. This is a sample rather than a tenure-complete caseload.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Freeman was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of March 31, 2022.
| 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 | 1 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 3 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 3 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 5 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 4 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 5 |
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.
A historical record
Judge Freeman no longer sits on this court. 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.