Mary Kay Costello
How Judge Costello rules, drawn from 27 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Costello
Mary Kay Costello is a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. President Joseph R. Biden Jr. appointed her, and she received her commission on September 19, 2024.
Judge Costello's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Costello, as published on the court's website (checked October 8, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Discuss a matter with opposing counsel before bringing it to the judge’s attention.
“Judge Costello expects counsel to bring matters to her attention only after they have been discussed with opposing counsel.”
Contacting chambers
Do not contact law clerks directly.
“Direct communication with law clerks is prohibited.”
Conferences
Submit the joint Rule 26(f) report and proposed discovery plan at least three business days before the pretrial conference.
“At least three business days prior to the pretrial conference, counsel must submit to Chambers a joint report of the Rule 26(f) meeting with a proposed discovery plan.”
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 8, 2026).
- Standing Order on Procedure for Case Opening ↗
- Standing Order on Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
- Standing Order on Access and Management of Sealed Documents ↗
- Standing Order on Filing Procedures in Alien Detainee Cases ↗
- Second Amended Standing Order on Guilty Pleas and Sentencing ↗
- Standing Order on Electronic Document Submission for Unrepresented Litigants ↗
- Standing Procedural Order for Cases Seeking Social Security Review ↗
- Superseding Standing Order on Procedural Matters in Pro Se Civil and Habeas Cases ↗
- Standing Order on Electronic Access to Civil and Criminal Transcripts ↗
How Judge Costello decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In one benefits case, the court granted the claimant summary judgment and ordered long-term disability benefits reinstated.
“Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 18) is GRANTED”
Procedural preferences
In one habeas case, the court granted limited relief by requiring a bond hearing.
“The petition is GRANTED in part”
Cautions
The court denied a request to proceed anonymously and directed the plaintiff to disclose a legal name.
“the motion is DENIED”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 18) is GRANTED”
“Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 19) is DENIED”
“The petition is GRANTED in part”
“the Motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART”
“Leave to proceed in forma pauperis is GRANTED”
“Leave to proceed in forma pauperis is GRANTED”
“The Motions to Proceed In Forma Pauperis are DENIED AS MOOT”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 9 days (N = 8).
The thirteen reviewed dockets include civil rights, employment, insurance, habeas, default judgment, and pending matters. The small nonrandom selection does not establish a caseload mix.
How long civil cases take in this court
For the whole of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, not for Judge Costello: median time from filing to disposition of the civil cases the court closed in the 12 months ending September 30, 2025, as reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
| Cases | Median time | |
|---|---|---|
| All civil cases closed | 5,730 | 5.1 months |
| Closed with no court action | 1,952 | 3.2 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 2,834 | 4.7 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 898 | 10 months |
| Closed during trial | 46 | 17.8 months |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 5,730 | 5.1 months |
| Sep 2024 | 6,200 | 4.6 months |
| Sep 2023 | 6,595 | 7 months |
| Sep 2022 | 5,221 | 6.6 months |
| Sep 2021 | 5,245 | 6.5 months |
| Sep 2020 | 4,686 | 5.7 months |
| Sep 2019 | 5,374 | 6 months |
The table leaves out prisoner petitions, land condemnations, deportation reviews, recovery of overpayments and enforcement of judgments, and reports no median for fewer than 10 cases. A district that closed a large multidistrict litigation in the period shows very large counts and long medians for that year. Source: Table C-5, U.S. District Courts (spreadsheet).
Draft for Judge Costello with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Costello, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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