Magdeline D. Coleman

How Judge Coleman rules, drawn from 30 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Coleman no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

Court
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Position
bankruptcy
Status
Retired 2024
Served
2010–2024
Commissioned
2010-04-12
Education
Chestnut Hill College (economics and political science); University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D., 1981)
Signed orders read
30

How Judge Coleman decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

Prior findings that had survived appeal supported summary judgment through issue preclusion and the law-of-the-case doctrine.

“application of the law of the case doctrine and/or issue preclusion requires this Court to grant the Motions”

Procedural preferences

Proper service was treated as a prerequisite to contempt relief, even where the recipient had actual notice.

“The fact that the IRS may have had actual notice of the Subpoena does not obviate the requirement of proper service.”

Cautions

Dismissal with prejudice followed only after the court concluded that amendment could not cure the pleading defect.

“However, if this Court finds that amendment would be futile, this Court may dismiss a claim with prejudice.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Philadelphia Entertainment and Development Partners, L.P. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
14-12482 / 14-00255 · 2019-12-31
Motions to dismiss (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) Granted

“Counts II, III, and IV of the Complaint shall be dismissed with prejudice pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and (6).”

Provident Bank v. Marc S. Antonucci
16-16702 / 16-00447 · 2019-07-25

This decision entered judgment after trial on discharge and dischargeability claims; the separate lien-avoidance request remained for further proceedings.

In re Joseph Grasso
12-11063 · 2018-06-15

This lengthy opinion explains the disposition entered in the separately archived order and is retained without duplicating that order's outcomes.

In re Joseph Grasso
12-11063 · 2018-06-15
First interim application for compensation (Law Offices of Paul J. Winterhalter, P.C.) Denied

“The First Interim Application is DENIED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”

Final interim application for compensation (Law Offices of Paul J. Winterhalter, P.C.) Denied

“The Final Interim Application is DENIED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”

TotalFacility, Inc. v. Michael D. Brown and Tracy M. Brown
15-16854 / 15-00517 · 2016-08-30
Motions to dismiss (Michael D. Brown and Tracy M. Brown) Granted in part

“this Court will grant the Motion in part and deny it in part.”

Philadelphia Entertainment and Development Partners, L.P. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
14-12482 / 14-00255 · 2016-04-08
Motions to dismiss (Commonwealth defendants) Granted

“Consistent with this memorandum, this Court will enter an order dismissing with prejudice”

MorrisAnderson, Ltd. v. Wenger Feed Mills, Inc. (In re ETFF Corporation)
12-19430 / 14-00506 · 2015-12-15
Motion to amend crossclaims (Pennfield defendants) Denied

“the Motion to Amend is hereby DISMISSED for futility.”

In re Craig B. Rosen
15-10435 · 2015-12-15
Request for contempt (Chapter 7 trustee) Denied

“the Trustee’s request for a finding of contempt is DENIED.”

In re Earl Wilson
14-12720 · 2015-12-14

This memorandum supported a previously entered plan-confirmation order rather than deciding a new motion.

Katz v. Grasso; Madison Capital Co. v. Grasso; Shubert v. Grasso; DeAngelis v. Grasso
12-11063 / 13-00438 / 13-00477 / 13-00479 / 13-00481 · 2015-09-15
Summary judgment (Marshall J. Katz) Granted

“the Motions will be granted because application of the law of the case doctrine and issue preclusion is sufficient to establish that a denial of discharge is warranted”

Summary judgment (Madison Capital Company, LLC and Christine C. Shubert) Granted
In re Leroy Tyndale
13-21011 · 2015-07-02

This memorandum supported previously entered redemption and plan-confirmation orders rather than deciding a new motion.

In re Michael G. Minor
13-19278 · 2015-06-09

This decision confirmed a Chapter 13 plan and resolved a plan objection rather than a separately classified motion.

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

All five sampled cases were filed between May and November 2010 and terminated between September 2010 and April 2016.

A historical record

Judge Coleman no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.