Charles J. Siragusa
How Judge Siragusa decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In an FDCPA case, the judge reads a disputed notice by its overall tone and purpose rather than parsing an isolated phrase in isolation -- a debt-collector's form letter that mentioned 'past due payments' only in passing was not converted into a debt-collection communication just because of that phrase.
“Viewing the overall tone and content of the notice, which does not specifically reference any actual past due amount, the phrase "including all past due payments" essentially means "all past due payments, if any."”
He enforces unambiguous contract and arbitration language on its plain terms and will not let extrinsic evidence override it: a decades-old business relationship was still bound by a later written 'work made for hire' letter because the letter's text was clear, and the parol evidence rule barred evidence to the contrary.
“Viewing the Letter as a contract, and having found that its terms are unambiguous, the Estate's submission of extrinsic evidence regarding the Letter is admissible only if it is permitted under the parol evidence rule.”
Procedural preferences
He holds parties to scheduling-order amendment deadlines: after a plaintiff had already amended once, an oral request at argument to amend again -- with no showing of good cause for missing the magistrate judge's deadline -- was not enough to avoid a with-prejudice dismissal.
“Plaintiff's counsel did not identify any good cause for extending that deadline... the action will be dismissed with prejudice.”
A party that sues in court despite a mandatory arbitration clause can be made to pay the other side's fees for having to move to enforce that clause -- even though the party did not technically 'refuse' arbitration -- but he will scale the fee award down to reflect only partial success on the motion.
“TDG, after being placed on notice of the mandatory arbitration clause, breached section 10.06(d) of the Asset Purchase Agreement when it filed an action seeking more relief in this Court than the agreement permitted it to do. Therefore... Defendants are entitled to reasonable attorney's fees.”
Cautions
In habeas corpus review, he requires more than speculation to support a Brady claim -- a petitioner who could not say whether undisclosed evidence would even have helped him could not show it was material -- and he declines a certificate of appealability absent a substantial constitutional showing.
“Jiles thus admits that he does not know whether the CSLI for Vasquez's phone would have been exculpatory, inculpatory, or neutral... The underlying Brady claim... is based on pure speculation and is meritless.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendant's motion to dismiss the complaint in its entirety... is granted, and this action is transferred... 1) Plaintiff's second, third, fourth, and fifth causes of action are dismissed, pursuant to the Agreement's arbitration clause; ... 3) Defendant's application to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and improper venue is denied;”
“Defendant's motion to transfer venue is granted, and this action is transferred to the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.”
“Now before the Court is Plaintiff's motion for reconsideration... The application is denied.”
“Accordingly, the Court denies Defendants' motion to dismiss, and orders this case consolidated with the earlier case, Bell Independent Power Corp. v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., No. 10-CV-6057.”
“Defendants' motions [#23][#25] are granted and this action is dismissed with prejudice.”
“The Court having determined that TDG has shown that an immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to it before Vuzix can be heard in opposition... it is hereby ORDERED that said Motion is GRANTED in part.”
“Defendants' motion to dismiss the complaint in its entirety, ECF No. 13, is granted. The Clerk of the Court is directed to close the case.”
“Vuzix's motion, ECF No. 29, seeking an award of attorney's fees is granted, but with a reduction to reflect Vuzix's less than total success. The requested fees of $20,710.50, are reduced by one-third, or $6,903.50.”
“Defendants' motion to dismiss [#7] is denied.”
“Defendants' motion to dismiss [#46] is granted, and this action is dismissed with prejudice.”
“Defendants' application for partial dismissal, ECF No. 4, is granted. All except the following Counts of the complaint are dismissed: (I) alleging that Delvecchio, Amato, and the City used excessive force in violation of Griffin's Fourth Amendment rights; (VI) alleging a claim of battery against Delvecchio and Amato; and (VII) alleging Delvecchio and Amato intentionally assaulted Griffin.”
“Xerox's motion for summary judgment and to dismiss counterclaims [#15] is granted. JoJoMonster's counterclaims are dismissed with prejudice. Xerox is granted summary judgment on Claims I-III in the amount of $135,896.44.”
“Plaintiff has not shown that the proffered reason for his termination was false and the real reason for the adverse employment action was motivated by racial discrimination... Accordingly, the Court grants Defendants' motion [for summary judgment].”
“the Court... denies Plaintiff's [cross-motion to strike].”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 201.5 days (N = 18).
The sampled dockets span a broad general civil and criminal caseload: consumer and commercial contract disputes, trademark and copyright claims, ERISA benefit-fund collections, employment discrimination, Social Security appeals, prisoner civil-rights suits, and habeas corpus petitions, plus a steady recent stream of pro se filings.
Put Judge Siragusa's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Siragusa actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Siragusa's own signed orders and cites them.