Mary K. Dimke

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington Appointed by Joseph R. Biden (Democratic) 19 signed orders read

How Judge Dimke decides

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

What persuades

In a breach-of-contract claim over product-line coverage under a partnership agreement, ambiguous or internally inconsistent use of a defined term in the complaint (singular vs. plural) undercuts a plausible link between the alleged agreement and the specific products at issue.

“Plaintiffs use "OrganiClean product" both singularly and plural; it is thus unclear if Plaintiffs are alleging that OC3 and/or Bac Stop are OrganiClean products.”

Procedural preferences

Where a claim's underlying theory is dismissed as legally deficient (not just poorly pleaded) and the plaintiff cannot articulate how re-pleading would fix it, denies leave to amend as futile even while granting leave on other, salvageable claims in the same order.

“the Court finds amendment would be futile as it does not appear that Plaintiffs will be able to cure the deficiencies in the claims.”

Cautions

The 60-day statute of limitations for judicial review of a Social Security decision under 42 U.S.C. 405(g) is strictly enforced against pro se claimants absent a concrete factual showing supporting equitable tolling -- a claimant's general hardship narrative is not enough.

“Plaintiff's Complaint lacks sufficient factual allegations demonstrating circumstances under which the statute of limitations should be equitably tolled.”

Signed rulings

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

Erickson v. Enviro Tech Chemical Services, Inc.
1:23-CV-03118-MKD · 2024-03-01
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“Defendant Arxada, LLC's Motion to Dismiss, ECF No. 5, is GRANTED. Defendant Arxada, LLC is DISMISSED from this action.”

Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted in part

“Defendant Enviro Tech Chemical Services, Inc.'s Motion to Dismiss, ECF Nos. 6, 9, is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. a. Plaintiff's claims for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and conversion claim are DISMISSED with prejudice. b. Plaintiff's claims concerning Bac Stop and OC3 are DISMISSED without prejudice.”

Charlie W. v. O'Malley
1:24-CV-3054-MKD · 2024-09-13
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“Defendant's Motion to Dismiss, ECF No. 10, is GRANTED. Plaintiff's Complaint, ECF No. 1, is DISMISSED with prejudice.”

Pleasant v. Washington State
2:23-CV-00246-MKD · 2025-03-31
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted in part

“The State Defendants' Motion and Memorandum for Summary Judgment, ECF No. 22, is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part in the manner explained above.”

Espinda v. Cardoza
4:23-CV-05023-MKD · 2024-06-12
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment, ECF No. 22, is GRANTED. Plaintiff's Complaint, ECF No. 1, is DISMISSED with prejudice.”

Brumback v. Ferguson
1:22-cv-03093-MKD · 2023-09-25
Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Denied

“Plaintiffs' Motion for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief, ECF No. 20, is DENIED.”

Espinda v. Hohenberg
4:23-cv-05155-MKD · 2023-12-05
Motion for temporary restraining order (plaintiff) Denied

“Plaintiff's "Motion for Issuance of an Emergency Temporary Restraining Order to Stay the Sale of Real Property; And Imposition of Permanent Injunctive Relief Barring the Sale of the Real Property By Defendants," ECF No. 3, is DENIED.”

United States v. $13,196.00 U.S. Currency
1:22-CV-03075-MKD · 2024-05-29
Motion to lift stay (plaintiff) Granted

“The United States' Motion to Lift Stay, ECF No. 27, is GRANTED.”

Motion to set aside default (defendant) Denied

“Claimant Salvador Ruiz-Cortez's Motion to Set Aside Entry of Default, ECF No. 23, is DENIED.”

Default judgment (plaintiff) Granted

“The United States' Motion for Default Judgment and Final Order of Forfeiture, ECF No. 22, is GRANTED.”

United States v. Ruiz-Cortez
1:17-CR-02029-MKD-1 · 2024-04-16
Motion to recharacterize (defendant) Granted

“Defendant's Motion Requesting the Court to Recharacterize His Current Rule 60 Motion as a Section 2255 Motion, ECF No. 194, is GRANTED.”

Motion to vacate sentence 2255 (defendant) Denied

“Defendant's recharacterized Section 2255 Motion, ECF No. 187, is DENIED.”

Motion to appoint counsel (defendant) Moot / procedural

“Defendant's Motion for Appointment of Counsel, ECF No. 188, is DENIED as moot.”

Huntington v. Smoke City for Less LLC
4:22-CV-5014-MKD · 2024-04-30
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“Defendant Vapor Beast LLC's Motion to Dismiss, ECF No. 69, is DENIED.”

Estate of Jonny Torres v. Kennewick School District No. 17
4:19-CV-05038-MKD · 2023-10-18
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Moot / procedural

“KSD's Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), ECF No. 437, is DENIED AS MOOT.”

Getzels v. Kirby AI
2:24-cv-00161-MKD · 2025-06-26
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted in part

“Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, ECF No. 27, is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”

Langworthy v. Perky
2:24-CV-00060-MKD · 2024-04-17
Motion to recuse (plaintiff) Denied

“Plaintiff's Construed Motion to Recuse, ECF No. 17, is DENIED.”

Put Judge Dimke's record to work

Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Dimke actually rules, not a generic AI guess.

Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Dimke's own signed orders and cites them.