Introducing “A Rudofsky”: The Art of Judicial Gymnastics

He is a textualist—when it suits the narrative he wants to create. But when the text stands in his way? He is a Rudofsky.

He truncated a subordinate clause to distort the meaning of a sentence. He was a Rudofsky.

He ordered documents to be sealed, then misrepresented what they contained. He was a Rudofsky.

The term “Rudofskyist” might soon find its place in the legal lexicon, expanding beyond the conduct of Judge Lee P. Rudofsky himself. If we take a descriptivist approach, it can encompass any stupid attorney trick—any legal sleight of hand designed to mislead, conceal, or manipulate under the guise of procedural neutrality.

It’s not just about one judge. It’s about an entire mindset—one that bends the law to fit an agenda, rather than letting the law dictate the outcome. And when the law doesn’t cooperate? A Rudofsky will make sure the record says something else.