Walter Raleigh Ely Jr.
Judge Ely no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Ely decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Ely treated the government's express deferred-prosecution commitment as enforceable to protect institutional integrity.
“The upholding of the Government’s integrity allows for no other conclusion.”
In copyright analysis, he favored a rule consistent with industry practice and the statute's underlying policies.
“The adoption of this rule, generally advocated by commentators and followed by the film industry, is in accord with the underlying policies of the copyright law”
Procedural preferences
Ely expected reviewing courts to receive an explained substantial-evidence determination rather than a bare conclusion.
“[a] district court’s finding that there is substantial evidence with no elucidation is of no help to this court.”
He preferred affirming on a clear record ground instead of resolving unsettled questions of state tort law.
“It is needless to put our imprimatur on emerging and as yet unsettled questions of California tort law.”
Cautions
Ely would not accept speculative emergency concerns as a substitute for evidence supporting warrantless entry.
“In this case, the District Court’s conclusion that an emergency situation existed rested on conjecture.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Not applicable to this circuit-court record.
A historical record
Judge Ely 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.