Adam Ben Abelson
How Judge Abelson decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Grants a defendant's motion for summary judgment where the record shows no genuine dispute of material fact.
“Accordingly, this Court will grant summary judgment in favor of Defendant FBC.”
In immigration-detention cases, requires evidence that removal efforts are progressing and orders release when the government cannot show a reasonably foreseeable removal.
“But the deference baked into the Zadvydas standard does not permit the government to detain a noncitizen and then sit on its hands.”
Procedural preferences
Grants a Rule 12 motion and closes the case where the complaint does not state a federal claim and no independent basis supports jurisdiction over the remaining state claim.
“For the reasons stated above, the Court will grant Defendant's motion to dismiss and close this case.”
Reviews an unopposed dismissal motion for legal merit instead of treating the lack of opposition as an automatic win.
“But here, Defendants' motion to dismiss is not ‘plainly lacking in merit.’”
Treats delivery calculated to reach an evasive recipient at the recipient's home as adequate service even when the papers are placed on the recipient's vehicle.
“The Court concludes that service by that means was adequate to satisfy Rule 4.”
Cautions
In immigration habeas, grants relief in part -- ordering a bond hearing within days -- while denying a TRO for immediate release and denying the government's motion to dismiss.
“The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART; ... Petitioner shall be provided with a bond hearing within 10 days of the date of this Order”
Applies the narrow Rule 59(e) standard and rejects reconsideration that largely repeats arguments already resolved at summary judgment.
“A motion for reconsideration ‘is not a license . . . to get a second bite at the apple.’”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, this Court will grant summary judgment in favor of Defendant FBC.”
“Therefore, Movant Defendants' motion for summary judgment will be denied.”
“The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART; ... Petitioner shall be provided with a bond hearing within 10 days of the date of this Order”
“Petitioner's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (ECF No. 2) is DENIED”
“Respondents' Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 10) is DENIED.”
“For the reasons stated above, the Court will grant Defendant's motion to dismiss and close this case.”
“The Motion (ECF No. 106) is GRANTED; ... The complaint is DISMISSED with prejudice”
“The motion to stay (ECF No. 84) is GRANTED and the case is STAYED pending the outcome of the interlocutory appeal.”
“Defendants' motion to dismiss, ECF No. 11, is GRANTED. The complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice.”
In a self-represented action challenging a prior judicial ruling, Abelson dismissed the complaint on his own initiative for failure to state a cognizable claim and lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. The order states verbatim: "the complaint (ECF No. 1) is DISMISSED with prejudice."
“Respondents' motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction Pending Appeal, ECF No. 258, is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. The request to stay pending appeal is DENIED. The request to modify the preliminary injunction to require payment of a bond is granted”
“because Kalshi has failed to show it has a likelihood of success on the merits, Kalshi's motion for a preliminary injunction (ECF No. 2) is DENIED.”
“the Court denies without prejudice Petitioner's request for a release order but retains jurisdiction, and orders that ICE conduct an informal interview as required by the applicable regulations, and sets other deadlines on his Zadvydas claim, including an evidentiary hearing”
“The petition for writ of habeas corpus (ECF No. 1) is GRANTED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 7 days (N = 2).
The reviewed assignments include alien-detainee habeas petitions, civil-rights and employment cases, antitrust litigation, real-property disputes, and criminal matters. They also include National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education v. Trump, a challenge to federal executive orders concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Put Judge Abelson's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Abelson actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Abelson's own signed orders and cites them.