Karen Elizabeth Schreier
How Judge Schreier rules, drawn from 6 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Schreier decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In trade-secret cases she looks past the label a plaintiff puts on a tort claim to the facts pleaded; if a tort claim rests on misuse of confidential/secret information it is displaced by the UTSA, but a claim alleging conduct 'more than' or 'apart from' misappropriation (e.g. preparing to compete while still employed) survives.
“Allowing a plaintiff to plead a claim using different labels in order to avoid the displacement provision of the UTSA would render the statute meaningless.”
Procedural preferences
She enforces D.S.D. Civ. LR 56.1(D): a movant's statement of material facts is deemed admitted where the non-movant does not controvert it, and a non-response to a summary-judgment motion will not save the non-movant.
“Augustine did not object to Schreurs' Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ... so the court deems those statements to be admitted.”
Cautions
Liberal construction for pro se litigants does not relax the substantive standard: pro se prisoners still must show a genuine issue of material fact under Rule 56 and specific facts (not conclusions) to defeat dismissal.
“the summary judgment standard set forth in Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure remains applicable to prisoners proceeding pro se.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“That Defendant Schreurs' motion for summary judgment (Docket 49) is granted.”
“Cowherd's Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket 14) is denied”
“Leidholt's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket 18) is granted”
“Leidholt's Motion to Dismiss (Docket 26) is denied as moot.”
“ORDERED that the mechanics' motion to dismiss (Docket 43) is granted in part and denied in part.”
“Klaudt's motion for summary judgment (Docket 16) is denied.”
“That Boysen's motion for summary judgment (Docket 20) is granted.”
“That Boysen's motion to stay discovery (Docket 18) is denied as moot.”
“That Thornton's motion to subpoena video footage from the Sioux Falls State Penitentiary North (Docket 25) is denied as moot.”
“That Thornton's motion for appointment of counsel (Docket 28) is denied.”
“That Ferris's motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (Docket 2) is granted.”
“That Ferris's motion to appoint counsel (Docket 5) is denied.”
“That Ferris's motion to amend/correct title (Docket 6) is denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
As a senior judge of a small district she still carries a mixed civil/criminal/prisoner docket across all four S.D. divisions. The enumerated sample skews to recent pending filings, so it reflects current intake rather than career-long mix.
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