Darrin Phillip Gayles
How Judge Gayles decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Strictly enforces administrative exhaustion: an FCRA plaintiff must file with the FCHR/EEOC and the federal complaint is confined to the scope of the EEOC charge.
“his judicial complaint is limited by the scope of the EEOC investigation that 'can reasonably be expected to grow out of the charge of discrimination.'”
Construes insurance policies by plain meaning and resolves genuine ambiguities against the insurer in favor of coverage.
“Ambiguities in insurance contracts are interpreted against the insurer and in favor of the insured.”
Procedural preferences
Will not grant an unopposed summary-judgment motion automatically; he reviews the movant's record citations on the merits even when the non-movant defaults.
“the district court cannot base the entry of summary judgment on the mere fact that the motion was unopposed, but, rather, must consider the merits of the motion.”
Cautions
Failure to file a Local Rule 56.1 Statement of Material Facts in opposition means the movant's facts are deemed admitted.
“Given that Plaintiff failed to respond to Defendant's Statement of Material Facts, the Court deems those facts as true.”
Section 1981 cannot be used to sue a governmental entity; such claims fail as a matter of law.
“Section 1981 cannot be used to sue state actors or entities.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 24] is DENIED.”
“Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, [ECF No. 41], is GRANTED.”
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment, [ECF No. 19], is GRANTED.”
“The Court finds that all of the relevant factors weigh in favor of dismissing this action on forum non conveniens grounds. Based on the foregoing, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that: (1) Defendant's Motion to Dismiss [ECF No. 80] is GRANTED; (2) this cause is DISMISSED without prejudice to Plaintiffs refiling it in the appropriate forum, conditioned on the following...”
“Defendant Apple, Inc.'s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Complaint, [ECF No. 9], is GRANTED; The Complaint, [ECF No. 1], is hereby DISMISSED without prejudice; Plaintiff may seek leave to amend his complaint within twenty (20) days of this Order”
“Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, [ECF No. 68], is GRANTED IN PART as to Counts I and II of the Second Amended Complaint. The Motion is otherwise DENIED.”
“Defendant City of Opa-locka's Motion for Summary Judgment, [ECF No. 80], is GRANTED IN PART as to Counts V, VI, and VII of the Second Amended Complaint. The Motion is otherwise DENIED.”
“Petitioner's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED without prejudice; No certificate of appealability shall issue”
“Petitioner's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under § 2254 [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for lack of jurisdiction as an unauthorized second or successive petition under § 2244(b).”
“ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Petitioner, Lucious Boyd's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §2254 [ECF No. 1] is DENIED. All pending motions are DENIED as moot. A Certificate of Appealability is GRANTED, in part, as to Claim A(1) (Juror Striggles).”
“the Motion [ECF No. 1] is DENIED; no certificate of appealibility shall issue; and this case is CLOSED.”
“the Petition [ECF No. 1] is DISMISSED without prejudice; no certificate of appealability shall issue; and this case is CLOSED.”
“it is hereby ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Petitioner's Amended Petition for Emergency Injunctive Relief (the ‘Petition’) [ECF No. 3] is DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed Miami civil matters are weighted toward insurance-coverage, employment-discrimination, and cruise-line maritime personal-injury cases. The current group also includes many pending 2026 alien-detainee habeas petitions. This provides descriptive context rather than a caseload-wide rate.
Put Judge Gayles's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Gayles actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Gayles's own signed orders and cites them.