Burnita Shelton Matthews
Judge Matthews no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Matthews decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
She treated the labor board’s statutory restriction on mixing professional and nonprofessional employees as mandatory.
“The Board has no statutory warrant to disregard this mandatory limitation upon its authority”
She found tax payment involuntary where official collection power left the taxpayer without equal bargaining footing.
“Plaintiff and defendant were not on terms of equality. Plaintiff was a mere taxpayer. Defendant was clothed with official authority”
Cautions
She declined to intervene in internal union affairs before the plaintiffs completed the organization’s own review process.
“Thus it is clear that plaintiffs have not exhausted their administrative remedies within the CIO.”
She expressly limited a subpoena ruling because the Air Force had not yet presented a privilege claim for decision.
“In the present posture of the instant matter no claim of privilege has been asserted or is being decided.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The motion for a preliminary injunction will be denied”
“the motion to dismiss will be granted.”
“Plaintiff is entitled, according to law, to a decree authorizing the Commissioner of Patents to issue to the plaintiff certificates of registration under the seal of the United States Patent Office”
“The defendant’s Motion for summary judgment will be granted.”
“The Motions to Dismiss are, therefore, hereby granted”
“The motion to dismiss the complaint will be denied.”
“The preliminary injunction issued herein will be dissolved”
“the permanent injunction sought will be denied.”
“an order will be signed denying the petition of the trustee for exemption from Rule 22 of the Local Civil Rules”
“The motion for .a judgment of acquittal is denied”
“The motion for a change of venue is denied without prejudice to its renewal if, upon .the voir dire examination, it appears that an impartial jury cannot be secured.”
“The motion of the defendant for summary judgment will be denied”
“the motion of the plaintiff for summary judgment will be granted.”
“the court is convinced that a proper exercise of its discretion calls for the dismissal of the instant action”
“defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint or, in the alternative, for summary judgment is denied”
“the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is granted”
A historical record
Judge Matthews 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.