Marjorie O. Rendell

How Judge Rendell rules, drawn from 5 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Position
district
Status
Elevated to a higher court
Served
1994–1997
Appointed by
Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Commissioned
1994-02-11
Education
University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1969; Villanova University School of Law, J.D., 1973
Signed orders read
5

How Judge Rendell decides

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

What persuades

In corporate-governance disputes, she permits equitable tolling when culpable insiders controlled the information and no informed, empowered, nonculpable person could have caused the corporation to act.

“genuine issues of material fact exist which preclude me from granting the IDA Defendants’ motion for summary judgment.”

When reviewing a reorganization plan, she treats statutory compliance as an independent judicial responsibility rather than an issue forfeited by the parties' failure to object.

“the bankruptcy judge had an independent duty to determine that these statutory requirements had been met.”

Procedural preferences

She declines to resolve a disability qualification dispute on summary judgment when competing evidence leaves the actual safety risk for trial.

“defendants have not established their entitlement to summary judgment on the facts as presented here.”

Cautions

An insurer may prevail on coverage while still facing a separate bad-faith claim based on alleged conduct that requires factual development.

“Federal’s Motion for Summary Judgment on Counts I — III with regard to its duty to defend and indemnify CertainTeed is GRANTED; its Motion on Count IV with regard to plaintiffs’ allegations of bad faith is DENIED.”

Signed rulings

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

In re Murray
· 1996-10-04
Bankruptcy appeal (debtor-appellant Edmond C. Murray) Denied

“Accordingly, the judgment of the bankruptcy court is AFFIRMED.”

In re Duval Manor Associates
· 1996-11-26
Bankruptcy appeal (debtor-appellant Duval Manor Associates) Granted in part

“I will reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. REVERSED AND REMANDED.”

CertainTeed Corp. v. Federal Insurance Co.
· 1995-11-17
Motion for partial summary judgment (plaintiff CertainTeed Corp.) Denied

“Certain-Teed’s Motion is DENIED.”

Summary judgment (defendant Federal Insurance Co.) Granted in part

“Federal’s Motion for Summary Judgment on Counts I — III with regard to its duty to defend and indemnify CertainTeed is GRANTED; its Motion on Count IV with regard to plaintiffs’ allegations of bad faith is DENIED.”

Wilson v. Pennsylvania State Police Department
· 1997-03-26
Summary judgment (defendants) Denied

“defendants have not established their entitlement to summary judgment on the facts as presented here.”

Motion to reconsider class certification (defendants) Denied

“I decline to consider this issue at this stage, finding that a request to decertify the class is more appropriately raised in a separate motion for decertification.”

Resolution Trust Corp. v. Farmer
· 1994-09-16
Summary judgment (inside-director and attorney defendants) Denied

“For the foregoing reasons, I shall deny the IDA Defendants’ motion for summary judgment.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The fixed sample contains ten terminated matters filed near the beginning and end of Rendell's district tenure. Subjects included personal injury, contracts, insurance, antitrust, civil rights, statutory claims, and federal-employer liability. Filing-to-termination durations ranged from 5 to 402 days; the sample is descriptive, not representative.

A historical record

Judge Rendell 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.