Patrick Michael Duffy

How Judge Duffy rules, drawn from 21 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

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

Court
United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
Position
district
Status
Retired 2019
Served
1995–2019
Appointed by
Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Commissioned
1995-12-26
Education
The Citadel, B.A. (1965); University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D. (1968)
Signed orders read
21

How Judge Duffy decides

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

What persuades

In Sherby, Duffy required vocational evidence where pain-related concentration limits could affect even unskilled work.

“because some degree of concentration is required for every job, including unskilled jobs, the court does not believe it is clear that Claimant’s nonexertional limitation has very little effect on the entire occupational base for unskilled, light work”

Procedural preferences

In Informaxion Solutions, Duffy ordered targeted jurisdictional discovery before deciding dismissal or transfer on an incomplete record.

“For the foregoing reasons, it-is ORDERED that Defendants’ Motion is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE AND WITH LEAVE TO REFILE. It is FURTHER ORDERED that jurisdictional discovery shall be completed within forty-five (45) days of the date of this Order.”

Cautions

In Narrl, Duffy applied then-controlling tracking precedent but expressly cautioned that investigators should have sought judicial authorization.

“The better practice in this case would have been to obtain a warrant.”

Signed rulings

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

McHoney v. South Carolina
· 2007-08-14
Summary judgment motion (respondents) Granted

“Accordingly, denying the Magistrate Judge’s recommendation, the court GRANTS Respondents’ Motion for Summary Judgment.”

Motions to stay (petitioner) Moot / procedural

“Because the court grants summary judgment and dismisses this matter, the court FINDS AS MOOT Petitioner’s Motion to Stay his habeas petition.”

Caldwell ex rel. Y.B.K. v. Astrue
· 2007-10-10
Attorney fee motion (plaintiff) Granted in part

“It is therefore ORDERED, for the foregoing reasons, that Plaintiffs Motion for Attorney’s Fees is hereby GRANTED in the amount of $7620.00.”

City of Charleston v. Hotels.com, L.P.
· 2008-04-29
Motion for reconsideration (defendants) Denied

“It is, therefore ORDERED, for the foregoing reasons, that Defendants’ Motion for Reconsideration and Certification for Interlocutory Appeal be DENIED.”

Motion to certify interlocutory appeal (defendants) Denied
Williams Farm Partnership, LLC v. Siegers Seed Co.
· 2009-07-06
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Denied

“For the foregoing reasons, the Court ORDERS that Plaintiffs Motion to Remand to the Colleton County Court of Common Pleas be DENIED.”

Cherochak v. Unum Life Insurance Co. of America
· 2009-10-07
Motion to alter or amend judgment (plaintiff) Denied

“Based on the foregoing, it is ORDERED that Plaintiff Joseph G. Cherochak, Jr.’s Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment and Motion to Amend Complaint are DENIED.”

Motion for leave to amend complaint (plaintiff) Denied
State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. Singleton
· 2009-10-28
Motions to dismiss (Dorchester County School District Two) Granted

“Accordingly, for the foregoing reasons, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant Dorchester County School District Two’s motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction is GRANTED.”

St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Co. v. Yang Ming (America) Corp.
· 2009-11-03
Summary judgment motion (third-party defendant Cosco North America, Inc.) Granted

“Based on the foregoing, it is ORDERED that Third-Party Defendant Cos-co North America, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED.”

Ray v. Bowers
· 2009-11-23
Summary judgment motion (College of Charleston) Granted

“Based on the foregoing, the court ORDERS that Defendant College of Charleston’s Motion for Summary Judgment be GRANTED.”

United States v. White
· 2010-03-01
Motion to suppress (defendant) Denied

“Therefore, the court DENIES Defendant Franklin Joe White’s motion to suppress.”

Williams v. Ozmint
· 2010-06-02
Summary judgment motion (defendants) Granted

“It is hereby ORDERED that Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED.”

Mullinax v. Astrue
· 2010-06-14
Attorney fee motion (plaintiff) Granted in part

“It is therefore ORDERED, for the foregoing reasons, that Plaintiffs attorney, Paul Townsend McChesney, be awarded eight hundred and twenty-one dollars and twenty-two cents ($821.22) in attorney’s fees and costs pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2412.”

Figueroa v. Napolitano
· 2010-07-13
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“This dismissal, with prejudice, relates only to Plaintiff's ADEA claim. This Order is without prejudice as to any claims Plaintiff may have under the VEOA and/or USERRA.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 55.5 days (N = 10).

A fixed-seed sample of ten terminated matters filed in 2010 included civil-rights, insurance, habeas, consumer, intellectual-property, and tort cases.

A historical record

Judge Duffy 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.