Jolie A. Russo
How Judge Russo decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On cross-motions for summary judgment in a detainee medical-care claim she recommended granting the defense motion and denying the plaintiff's, applying the deliberate-indifference framework to conditions of confinement.
“The Court ADOPTS IN PART Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation, ECF 125. The Court GRANTS Defendants' motion for summary judgment (ECF 106) and DENIES Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF 110).”
Procedural preferences
Sitting as a magistrate judge, Russo's Findings and Recommendations are routinely adopted by the assigned district judges on de novo or clear-error review, and she favors resolving cases at the pleading or screening stage; she has sua sponte appointed limited pro bono counsel to help a pro se plaintiff evaluate whether to amend.
“The Court ADOPTS Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation. ECF 36. The Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. ECF 27.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Court ADOPTS Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation. ECF 36. The Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. ECF 27.”
“The Court ADOPTS IN PART Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation, ECF 125. The Court GRANTS Defendants' motion for summary judgment (ECF 106) and DENIES Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF 110).”
“The Court ADOPTS Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation, ECF [55], in full. Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to File Third Amended Complaint, ECF [52], is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”
Russo's September 9, 2021 F&R recommended sua sponte dismissal with prejudice and without leave to replead of a pro se in forma pauperis complaint. With no objections, District Judge Michael H. Simon reviewed for clear error, found none, and adopted the recommendation on October 12, 2021. Grounding quote: 'the Court ADOPTS Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation, ECF 4. The Court DISMISSES Plaintiff's complaint with prejudice. ECF 2.'
Russo's May 8, 2026 F&R recommended sua sponte dismissal of a pretrial detainee's complaint under Younger v. Harris abstention and, separately, Heck v. Humphrey. The pro se plaintiff objected only that her state criminal case was expected to be dismissed. District Judge Michael H. Simon adopted in part, dismissing without prejudice under Younger because the critical date was when the federal action was filed, but declined the Heck portion because Wallace v. Kato holds that Heck does not bar a pre-conviction challenge. Grounding quote: 'The Court ADOPTS IN PART Judge Russo's Findings and Recommendation, ECF 10. The Court DISMISSES WITHOUT PREJUDICE Plaintiff's Complaint, ECF 1.'
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The civil sample includes Social Security appeals, prisoner and employment civil-rights matters, disability claims, insurance, consumer-protection, and personal-injury cases. As a magistrate judge, Russo enters final judgments when the parties consent to her jurisdiction and issues recommendations in referred cases. Reported durations measure the life of each case, not the time taken to decide a motion.
Put Judge Russo's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Russo actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Russo's own signed orders and cites them.