Mitchell J. Katz
How Judge Katz decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
Recommends summary judgment dismissing a prisoner's Section 1983 complaint, including as to non-moving defendants, for failure to exhaust available administrative remedies.
“Defendant's motion for partial summary judgment (Dkt. No. 127) is GRANTED; and 3. Plaintiff's complaint is DISMISSED.”
Cautions
On Social Security appeals he affirms the Commissioner where an ALJ's procedural error (such as not explicitly applying the 'consistency' factor) is harmless because the regulation's substance was not traversed.
“the Report and Recommendation is accepted and adopted in its entirety, the Commissioner's decision is affirmed, and Plaintiff's Complaint is dismissed”
In 28 U.S.C. 2254 habeas he recommends denial and dismissal with no certificate of appealability where the petition fails under 2253(c)(2).
“ORDERED that Petitioner's Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus (Dkt. No. 1) is DISMISSED ... the Court declines to issue a Certificate of Appealability”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Magistrate Judge Katz's Report-Recommendation ... recommending that Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint be dismissed with prejudice and without leave to amend ... is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED; ... Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint (Dkt. No. 23) is DISMISSED with prejudice and without prior leave to amend”
“the Report and Recommendation is accepted and adopted in its entirety, the Commissioner's decision is affirmed, and Plaintiff's Complaint is dismissed”
“recommending that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings be denied and that Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings be granted ... ORDERED that the Commissioner's determination is AFFIRMED”
“Defendant's motion for partial summary judgment (Dkt. No. 127) is GRANTED; and 3. Plaintiff's complaint is DISMISSED.”
“ORDERED that Petitioner's Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus (Dkt. No. 1) is DISMISSED ... the Court declines to issue a Certificate of Appealability”
“The Court affirms ALJ Goodale for two reasons.”
“REVERSED AND REMANDED SOLELY FOR THE CALCULATION OF BENEFITS”
“GRANT Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint (Dkt. 15) because the Complaint does not plausibly allege Monell liability”
“Emergency Supplemental Motion for Temporary Restraining Order to Enforce Removal of Stay and Declare Post-Removal Foreclosure Sale Void filed by Defendants Carmine P. Amelio, Paul A. Amelio, and Alfonso Amelio (Dkt. No. 19) be DENIED WITH PREJUDICE”
“RECOMMENDED, that Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand (Dkt. 18) be DENIED as moot”
“Motion to Enforce Removal of Stay and to Declare Post-Removal State Court Action Null and Void (Dkt. 7) is DENIED WITH PREJUDICE”
“ORDERED, that Polinski’s motion to seal (Dkt. 3) is DENIED”
Order and Report-Recommendation on initial screening of a pro se Section 1983 complaint after a grant of in forma pauperis status. The Court granted IFP and recommended dismissing the claims against the New York State Unified Court System and the Onondaga County Family Court without prejudice and without leave to amend on immunity grounds, dismissing the claims against the John Doe deputies and Onondaga County without prejudice and with leave to amend for failure to state a claim, and denying the motion to preserve evidence without prejudice. Verbatim disposition: "RECOMMENDED, that LaFave’s Complaint as to the New York State Unified Court System and the Onondaga Family Court be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE and WITHOUT LEAVE TO AMEND because those parties are immune ... RECOMMENDED, that LaFave’s Complaint as to John Does 1-5 and Onondaga County be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE and WITH LEAVE TO AMEND because the Complaint fails to state a claim as to those parties". Screening recommendation, excluded from decision statistics.
Order and Report-Recommendation on initial screening of a pro se complaint. The Court recommended dismissing the complaint without prejudice and with leave to amend for failure to comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8, and by its own order denied the plaintiff's motion for U.S. Marshal service and motion to appoint counsel. Verbatim disposition: "RECOMMENDED, the District Court dismiss Oliver’s Complaint WITHOUT PREJUDICE and WITH LEAVE TO AMEND because it fails to comply with Fed. R. Civ. P. 8". Screening recommendation, excluded from decision statistics.
Order and Report-Recommendation on initial screening of a pro se complaint after a grant of in forma pauperis status. The Court granted IFP and recommended dismissing the complaint against the Town of Camillus Police Department with prejudice and without leave to amend, dismissing the complaint against the Town of Camillus without prejudice and without leave to amend, and dismissing the complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8 without prejudice and with leave to amend. Verbatim disposition: "RECOMMENDED, that the District Court DISMISS the Complaint against the Town of Camillus Police Department WITH PREJUDICE AND WITHOUT LEAVE TO AMEND ... RECOMMENDED, that District Court DISMISS the Complaint under Fed. R. Civ. P. 8 WITHOUT PREJUDICE AND WITH LEAVE TO AMEND". Screening recommendation, excluded from decision statistics.
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Katz's docket caseload. Mix is Social-Security disability appeals (dominant) + prisoner 1983 civil rights + occasional civil matters (insurance/product-liability removal, Clean Water Act / environmental). IMPORTANT: many of these dockets were FILED 2020-2023, before Katz's January 2024 appointment, and were REASSIGNED to him when he filled Baxter's vacancy (e.g. Mills v. Colvin terminated 2022-12, before he was a judge). Their filing-to-termination durations therefore reflect predecessors' handling, NOT Katz's latency, so case_durations are intentionally NOT recorded here to avoid misattribution. Caseload nature-of-suit mix is reported; latency and durations await a fuller profile drawing on cases filed AND ruled under Katz.
Put Judge Katz's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Katz actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Katz's own signed orders and cites them.