Matthew James Maddox
How Judge Maddox decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Faced with an unsettled, controlling question of state constitutional law, he certifies it to the state's highest court and stays the case rather than deciding it himself.
“Plaintiff's Motion to Certify a Question of Law to the Maryland Supreme Court (ECF No. 13), Plaintiff's Motion for Rule 5.1(b) Certification (ECF No. 26), and Defendants' Motion to Stay (ECF No. 12) will be granted”
Procedural preferences
He dismisses deficient complaints without prejudice, affording self-represented plaintiffs a further opportunity to replead before ending the case.
“the defendants' motions to dismiss are granted. The Complaint is dismissed without prejudice”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“BLET's motion to dismiss (ECF 13) is GRANTED; The Complaint (ECF 1) is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
“Plaintiff's motion for leave to amend (ECF 26) is DENIED”
“Plaintiff's Motion to Certify a Question of Law to the Maryland Supreme Court (ECF No. 13), Plaintiff's Motion for Rule 5.1(b) Certification (ECF No. 26), and Defendants' Motion to Stay (ECF No. 12) will be granted”
“will GRANT Defendants' Motion to Stay following certification of a question”
“Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 20) will be denied without prejudice to renewal at an appropriate time after the stay is lifted”
“Officer Majkrzak's Partial Motion to Dismiss (ECF 42) is GRANTED; Count Three of the Second Amended Complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice; Count Seven ... is DISMISSED with prejudice as to Officer Majkrzak”
“Defendants' Motion to Bifurcate Plaintiffs' Monell Claim in Count Seven for Discovery and Trial (ECF 41) is DENIED without prejudice”
“Wei's Motion for Partial Reconsideration and for Judgment on the Pleadings (ECF No. 109) is granted in part and denied in part ... The portion of Plaintiffs' defamation claim in Count I of the SAC based on Wei's December 2023 statements is dismissed with prejudice ... Wei's motion for judgment on the pleadings is denied, and his request to certify an interlocutory appeal is denied”
“Liu's Partial Motion to Dismiss is granted, and Count Three of Wei's Counterclaim is dismissed without prejudice for failure to state a plausible claim for relief”
“The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus shall be dismissed ... The Petition must be dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies”
“the Motion for Injunctive Relief shall be denied ... The motion will be denied because it fails make a clear showing that Figures is likely to succeed on the merits of the claim for relief”
“Truist's Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is granted, and ... dismiss Plaintiff's claims against Truist”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to File Surreply is granted”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction is denied”
“the Court shall grant in part and deny in part the Custody Defendants' Motion to Dismiss”
“and grant PrimeCare's Motion to Dismiss”
“Shellpoint's Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED. The Complaint is dismissed without prejudice”
“the defendants' motions to dismiss are granted. The Complaint is dismissed without prejudice”
“Plaintiff's motion to appoint counsel is denied”
“Defendants' Motion, treated as a motion to dismiss, will be granted. The Complaint, as supplemented, will be dismissed for failure to state a claim”
“Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (ECF 11) is GRANTED; The Amended Complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice”
“For the reasons stated above, the Court will grant Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. Petitioner’s Complaint is dismissed without prejudice.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 48 days (N = 3).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 18 days (N = 8).
The sampled district docket includes alien-detainee habeas petitions, consumer-communications claims, employment discrimination, contract and insurance disputes, immigration mandamus, pension-fund collection, prisoner medical claims, and federal-officer-removal litigation. Because Maddox joined the district bench in late 2023, the completed-case sample remains small and is weighted toward matters that ended quickly.
Put Judge Maddox's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Maddox actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Maddox's own signed orders and cites them.