Charles Barnes Goodwin
How Judge Goodwin decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On a defense MSJ asserting qualified immunity, the burden shifts to the plaintiff to satisfy both prongs (constitutional violation + clearly established); failing either prong, the defendant prevails. Eighth Amendment deliberate-indifference claims fail at the subjective prong where the record shows continual, good-faith treatment.
“if the plaintiff fails to establish either prong of the two-pronged qualified-immunity standard, the defendant prevails on the defense.”
Procedural preferences
Strict Title VII pleading rigor at the 12(b)(6) stage: a sex-plus-age claim 'must be premised on sex alone' and needs a plausible inference of SEX (not merely age) discrimination; conclusory 'real reason' assertions are insufficient. Retaliation requires factual content showing an objectively reasonable good-faith belief that the opposed conduct was unlawful.
“The pleading's speculative, conclusory assertions of 'discrimination' and '[t]he real reason' for the termination are insufficient to survive a motion to dismiss.”
Once all federal claims are dismissed on a 12(b)(6) motion, the court declines supplemental jurisdiction over remaining state-law claims (28 USC 1367(c)(3)).
“When all federal claims have been dismissed, the court may, and usually should, decline to exercise jurisdiction over any remaining state claims.”
Cautions
Enforces local rules and prosecution discipline firmly: an entity cannot proceed pro se (LCvR17.1); failure to obtain counsel or respond to a show-cause order leads to Rule 41(b) dismissal and Rule 55(a) default. FTCA suits must name the United States, not an agency/facility, or they fail for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.
“Nfinitech 'has failed to . . . otherwise defend' itself against RHA's counterclaims, and Nfinitech is in default.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The CCA Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 110) is GRANTED as to Defendants Beard, Neau, and Paine. Judgment shall be entered accordingly.”
“The ODOC Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 106) is otherwise GRANTED as to Defendants Honaker, McCurdy, May, Thompson, and Troutt on the basis of qualified immunity. Judgment shall be entered accordingly.”
“Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 10) is GRANTED. Plaintiff's federal claims are DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. The Court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiff's state-law claims.”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Entry of Default (Doc. No. 21) is DENIED.”
“Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 23) is GRANTED. The Amended Complaint (Doc. No. 12) is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE due to a lack of subject-matter jurisdiction pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.”
“Counterclaimant RHA Health, LLC, d/b/a RHA Health Group's Motion (Doc. No. 56) is GRANTED IN PART insofar as the Clerk of Court is directed to enter a default against Counterclaim Defendant Nfinitech Solutions, LLC on the relevant counterclaims pursuant to Rule 55(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The Motion is otherwise DENIED AS MOOT.”
“The Report and Recommendation (Doc. No. 32) is ADOPTED as modified. Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 27) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the Report and Recommendation (Doc. No. 33) is ADOPTED, and the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Doc. No. 2) is DENIED.”
“Respondent's Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 22) and Petitioner's Motion to Expand Record (Doc. No. 21) are likewise DENIED.”
“Defendant U.S. Department of Justice's Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 13) is GRANTED. Plaintiff's Amended Complaint (Doc. No. 6) is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1).”
“The Motion for Summary Judgment of Defendant Safiyatou Bullock...is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART...The Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment of Defendants Cynthia Bullock, Caleb Bullock, Levi Bullock, and Samuel Bullock (Doc. No. 25) is GRANTED.”
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 36) is GRANTED. A separate judgment shall be entered.”
“Accepting this representation, the Court DENIES Plaintiff's Motion for Sanctions.”
“Defendant Christopher James LaFever's Motion Under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence (Doc. No. 60) is DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 439 days (N = 7).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 615 days (N = 2).
The sample includes both civil and criminal matters. Goodwin's work as a magistrate judge from 2013 through 2018 included consent Social Security appeals; since becoming a district judge, his docket has covered a broader merits caseload. The 2026 sample is heavily weighted toward alien-detainee habeas petitions referred to magistrate judges.
Put Judge Goodwin's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Goodwin actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Goodwin's own signed orders and cites them.