Willard Craig Broadwater
Judge Broadwater no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Broadwater decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In a False Claims Act case, evidence that government officials knew of and directed the challenged billing practices defeated the required scienter.
“As mandated by Becker, any scienter requirement is negated by the government’s knowledge and approval.”
At summary judgment, Broadwater required evidence beyond allegations restated in affidavit form to establish a genuine factual dispute.
“Merely transferring one’s pleadings into affidavit form is insufficient to affirmatively demonstrate the existence of a genuine issue of material fact.”
Procedural preferences
When deciding an unsettled state-law question in diversity, Broadwater declined to enlarge state law beyond the available authority.
“Because this Court sits in diversity applying West Virginia law, the Court cannot expand upon this unexplored area of West Virginia law.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“1. DENIES the plaintiffs’ motion to remand;”
“Accordingly, summary judgment is. GRANTED as to all defendants and the matter is DISMISSED.”
“the Court hereby GRANTS the plaintiffs motion and remands this action to the Circuit Court of Taylor County, West Virginia.”
“For the reasons set forth below, the Court DENIES petitioner’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus and DISMISSES this matter from the active docket of this Court.”
“That the Defendant’s Motion to Award Costs and Attorney Fees (Document # 33) is DENIED as more fully set forth above.”
“WVDOT’s motion in limine (Docket number 31-1) is GRANTED,”
“WVDOT’s motion to dismiss count three of the amended complaint (Docket number 31-2) is GRANTED,”
“Therefore, the Court hereby GRANTS Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment.”
“the Court hereby ORDERS that the petitioner’s motion be, and hereby is, GRANTED. Therefore, the petitioner’s sentence is hereby VACATED and the plea agreement between the petitioner and the United States is set aside and the Court GRANTS the petitioner a new trial.”
“That the defendants’ motion for summary judgment (Document No. 15) be GRANTED;”
“the Court now ORDERS that Defendant Travelers’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket #20) is now GRANTED.”
“That Prime Care’s motion for summary judgment (Document No. 14) be GRANTED;”
“That the Motion for Withdrawal of Reference (Document No. 2) by movant-creditor Chambers Chiropractic Offices, C.C., is DENIED and the matter REMANDED to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of West Virginia;”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The sampled assigned matters included civil-rights, insurance, habeas, prisoner, product-liability, public-contract, and tax cases. The sample is not a complete historical caseload measure.
A historical record
Judge Broadwater 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.