Mark R. Colombell
How Judge Colombell decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Social Security appeals he applies the substantial-evidence standard with deference to the ALJ and will not reweigh the evidence: he upheld an RFC that handled a claimant's diabetes by allowing breaks to eat rather than additional time off task, finding the claimant had not carried her burden to show her insulin/glucose-testing regimen was work-preclusive.
“Plaintiff has similarly failed to identify evidence in the record to meet her burden of showing that her insulin injections and blood glucose testing prevent her from engaging in any substantial gainful activity existing in the national economy.”
Procedural preferences
He reads the Fourth Circuit's Mascio v. Colvin rule narrowly: an ALJ must account for or explain MODERATE mental limitations in the RFC, but he declines to extend that requirement to MILD limitations, following E.D. Va. precedent over out-of-circuit authority a claimant offered.
“This Court has routinely declined to extend this requirement to mild limitations. ... the undersigned is inclined to find the same, and concludes that the ALJ was not required to incorporate Plaintiff's mild limitations in the residual functional capacity.”
Cautions
The available reasoning evidence consists of two Social Security opinions resolving four cross-motions for summary judgment, both affirming the agency, and one partial dismissal opinion in a diversity case. This small set does not establish a broader tendency. Judge Colombell also handles criminal-duty matters and other consent civil cases that are not represented in the signed-opinion sample.
“This matter comes before the Court by consent of the parties (ECF No. 29) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 636(c)(1), on cross motions for summary judgment, rendering the matter ripe for review.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Court DENIES Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 20), GRANTS Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 25) ... and AFFIRMS the final decision of the Commissioner.”
“the Court DENIES Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 17), GRANTS Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 19), and AFFIRMS the final decision of the Commissioner. The case is now CLOSED.”
“the Court DENIES the Partial Motion to Dismiss as to Plaintiff's claim of gross negligence and GRANTS the Partial Motion to Dismiss as to Plaintiff's claim of willful and wanton negligence. To the extent Plaintiff has asserted a claim for willful and wanton negligence, it is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
No overall nature-of-suit distribution is computed: the record mixes his consent civil docket with criminal-duty matters and cases on which he was only designated rather than presiding. The durations reported are limited to confirmed consent civil cases.
Put Judge Colombell's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Colombell actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Colombell's own signed orders and cites them.