Abraham Lincoln Freedman
How Judge Freedman rules, drawn from 26 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Freedman no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Freedman decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Treats a novel legal question as suitable for summary judgment when the material facts are undisputed.
“The complexity or novelty of a legal issue affords no justification for postponement of its decision.”
Requires the party seeking transfer to substantiate how convenience and the interests of justice favor another forum.
“of establishing that the convenience of the parties or the convenience of the witnesses or the interest of justice will be served by a transfer.”
Procedural preferences
Uses discovery sanctions cautiously but will exclude a deliberately undisclosed witness when disclosure rules were ignored.
“Such a power, of course, is to be exercised with the utmost caution and restraint. It is nevertheless a power fully recognized by the Rules and inherent in the judicial function.”
Treats discovery sequencing as flexible when case-specific circumstances displace the usual order.
“The practice of first come, first served, is not, however, to be exalted into a rule of law.”
Cautions
Will not resolve a claim on summary judgment when pleadings and affidavits preserve genuine disputes about access and copying.
“Any doubt as to the existence of a genuine issue of fact is to be resolved against the moving party”
Will not permit civil administrative process to be used to evade limits on criminal pretrial discovery.
“The Court will not permit evasion of the traditional procedure in criminal trials embodied in the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure by resort to the great administrative powers in aid of the revenue laws”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The petition must be dismissed because of petitioner’s failure to comply with Local Rule 37.”
“the petition for writ of habeas corpus is denied without prejudice.”
“the motion of the defendant, Anna M. Ulitsky, to dismiss Counts I and IX of the indictment is denied.”
“we think it would be an abuse of discretion not to grant the motion to enjoin the defendants from proceeding with the prosecution of their suit in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.”
“The motion to dismiss must therefore be denied.”
“the motion of defendant, Alcoa Steamship Company, Inc., for transfer under Rule >404 (a) is denied.”
“count II of the complaint is declared insufficient as a matter of law and the issue of liability for warranty under count II is eliminated from the case.”
“the motion of Temple University for summary judgment against the plaintiffs, Maxine Selkow, a minor by her parents and natural guardians, Isadore Selkow and Edith Selkow, and Isadore Selkow and Edith Selkow in their own right, and against the cross-plaintiff, City of Philadelphia, is granted.”
“Accordingly plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment will be granted and judgment will be entered in the amount of $536.99 with interest from April 14,1960.”
“defendant’s Motion for Modification is denied and it is ordered that judgment be entered in favor of plaintiff and against defendant in the amount of $536.99 with interest from April 14, 1960.”
“plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is denied and defendant’s motion for summary judgment is granted.”
“plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is denied.”
“Accordingly plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment will be granted and judgment will be entered in the amount of $16,012.43, with interest on $3,201.66”
“defendant’s Motion for Modification is denied and it is ordered that judgment be entered in favor of plaintiff and against defendant in the amount of $16,012.43”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No assigned-judge docket cohort could be enumerated for the closed district tenure, so no caseload mix or duration statistic is reported.
A historical record
Judge Freedman 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.