Rachel M. Malone
How Judge Malone decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On a motion for judgment on partial findings at the close of a landlord's case, she will enter judgment for the tenant where the landlord cannot prove it terminated the lease in the exact manner the lease requires -- actual notice is not enough when the lease specifies the method of service.
“The court made the following findings on the record and granted tenant's motion.”
Procedural preferences
She enforces claim preclusion firmly against repeat litigants: a plaintiff who repackages the same underlying transaction under a new legal label will have the later suit dismissed, and a motion to reconsider that ruling denied.
“The civil division agreed and dismissed the complaint, concluding that this case involved the same transaction as the 2023 case.”
She dismisses declaratory-judgment and mandamus suits at the threshold for lack of standing where the plaintiff alleges only generalized harm to the public rather than a particular personal injury.
“The court therefore granted the motion to dismiss.”
She applies prosecutorial immunity to bar civil suits against state's attorneys for acts within the judicial phase of a criminal prosecution, dismissing abuse-of-process and malicious-prosecution claims on that basis.
“It therefore granted defendants' motion to dismiss the action.”
Cautions
A party seeking leave to amend must show the amendment is not futile; a proposed pleading that repeats the deficiencies of the original complaint will be denied.
“It then denied plaintiff's motion to amend, reasoning that amendment would be futile because the proposed pleading had the same deficiencies as the original complaint.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The court granted summary judgment, concluding that the materials in the record established that plaintiff was entitled to judgment in its favor.”
“The civil division agreed and dismissed the complaint, concluding that this case involved the same transaction as the 2023 case.”
“The court denied plaintiff's subsequent motion to reconsider.”
“It therefore granted defendants' motion to dismiss the action.”
“The trial court denied the motion because plaintiff's complaint failed to state a claim against Congdon in his individual capacity.”
“it did not err in denying plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction.”
“The court therefore granted the motion to dismiss.”
“The court thus extended the order for one year with the same conditions.”
“The trial court granted the motion.”
“It then denied plaintiff's motion to amend, reasoning that amendment would be futile because the proposed pleading had the same deficiencies as the original complaint.”
“For these and other reasons, the court dismissed plaintiff's complaint with prejudice.”
“The court made the following findings on the record and granted tenant's motion.”
Put Judge Malone's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Malone actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Malone's own signed orders and cites them.