Ralph McKenzie Freeman
Judge Freeman no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Freeman decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Freeman distinguished learned vocational skills from general aptitudes and required specific evidence that a skill actually transfers to work the claimant can perform.
“an inherent difference between ‘aptitudes’ and ‘skills.’”
He required a party seeking confidentiality in discovery to identify the protected material and demonstrate concrete competitive harm.
“Rule 26, which requires a particularized showing of confidentiality and specific demonstration of harm to a party’s competitive situation before a protective order is permitted.”
Procedural preferences
Freeman would not stay an active case for a merely possible administrative proceeding whose institution and duration were uncertain.
“This Court cannot find any justification for granting a stay in this case.”
He enforced contractual grievance procedures before permitting a federal labor action unless the employer repudiated the process or the union wrongfully refused to act.
“union members are required to attempt to settle the dispute through internal union procedures.”
Cautions
Freeman declined equitable relief from limitations where the plaintiff had long been on notice of a service defect and could have sought an early ruling or re-served the defendants.
“it was poor judgment for the plaintiff not to re-serve the defendants or, at the very least, to move for an advance determination of the issue under rule 12(d).”
In developing commercial common law, he recognized the need to accommodate established business practice while warning against letting custom itself become the rule.
“the socio-economic reality, must exercise caution lest custom generate the rules.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiff’s motion to remand will be DENIED.”
“Defendant’s motion to dismiss or for summary judgment is GRANTED.”
“summary judgment for defendant is appropriate on any claim by plaintiff that defendant denied her such training.”
“The court will grant plaintiff’s motion for leave to file an amended complaint which alleges a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1981.”
“defendants’ motion for a stay will be denied.”
“the Secretary’s decision will be VACATED; and the matter will be REMANDED to the Secretary for an award of benefits.”
“the Court declines to vacate Defendant’s judgment of conviction.”
“Defendants’ motion for summary judgment is DENIED and Plaintiff's motion to amend the complaint is GRANTED but Plaintiff’s request for sanctions is DENIED.”
“An order denying defendant’s motion to suppress shall be submitted accordingly.”
“For these reasons, defendant’s motions are denied.”
“Defendant’s motion to dismiss those portions of plaintiffs’ complaint which seek to allege a violation of due process under the state and federal constitutions shall be granted.”
“Judgment will be granted in favor of defendant Continental Casualty.”
“defendant’s motion for a protective order will be denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Twenty case-level records were located, all terminated. Four included a stated nature of suit—civil-rights welfare, patent, other civil rights, and habeas corpus—while sixteen lacked a category. Because the reviewed dockets retained no entries and many share batch-style termination dates, the profile makes no duration, disposition-mix, or motion-timing claim.
A historical record
Judge Freeman 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.