Case: Sussman v. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

COMPLAINT against All Defendants Filing fee: $ 405, receipt number AMADC-11084741 (Fee Status: Filing Fee paid), filed by William Sussman. (Attachments: # 1 Category Form Sussman Category Form, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet Sussman JS44)(Gray, Amelia) (Entered: 06/25/2025)

1 Category Form Sussman Category Form

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2 Civil Cover Sheet Sussman JS44

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ELECTRONIC NOTICE of Case Assignment. Judge Richard G. Stearns assigned to case. If the trial Judge issues an Order of Reference of any matter in this case to a Magistrate Judge, the matter will be transmitted to Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell. (CEH) (Entered: 06/25/2025)

Summons Issued as to All Defendants. Counsel receiving this notice electronically should download this summons, complete one for each defendant and serve it in accordance with Fed.R.Civ.P. 4 and LR 4.1. Summons will be mailed to plaintiff(s) not receiving notice electronically for completion of service. (JKK) (Entered: 06/25/2025)

Notice of Case Assignment

MOTION for Extension of Time to August 18, 2025 to File Response/Reply as to 1 Complaint, / Unopposed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Pillay, Shoba) (Entered: 07/17/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 4 Motion for Extension of Time to August 18, 2025 to File Response/Reply. (JAM) (Entered: 07/18/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Shoba Pillay on behalf of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Pillay, Shoba) (Entered: 07/18/2025)

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Ishan K. Bhabha Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11129704 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Pillay, Shoba) (Entered: 07/18/2025)

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Lauren J. Hartz Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11129723 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Pillay, Shoba) (Entered: 07/18/2025)

Order on Motion for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 7 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Ishan K. Bhabha and granting 8 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Lauren J. Hartz. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual upgraded PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. Counsel may need to link their CM/ECF account to their upgraded individual pacer account. Instructions on how to link CM/ECF accounts to upgraded pacer account can be found at https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-current-pacer-accounts.htm#link-account. (JAM) (Entered: 07/29/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear AND Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

MOTION for Leave to File Excess Pages / DEFENDANT MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY'S UNOPPOSED MOTION TO ALLOW MEMORANDUM UP TO TWENTY-FIVE PAGES by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 08/14/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 10 Motion for Leave to File Excess Pages. MIT may file a memorandum of up to 25 pages in support of its forthcoming motion to dismiss. (RGS, law3) (Entered: 08/15/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to File Excess Pages

MOTION for Extension of Time to September 25, 2025 to File Responsive Pleading (Unopposed) by Michel DeGraff, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 08/16/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 12 Motion for Extension of Time, extending the deadline for responsive pleadings until September 25, 2025. (mkz) (Entered: 08/18/2025)

Order on Motion for Extension of Time

NOTICE of Appearance by Mahsa Khanbabai on behalf of Michel DeGraff (Khanbabai, Mahsa) (Entered: 09/05/2025)

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Mark Kleiman Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number BMADC-11221478 by Michel DeGraff. (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit Aff PHV Mark Kleiman, # 2 Text of Proposed Order Proposed PHV order Kleiman)(Khanbabai, Mahsa) (Entered: 09/05/2025)

1 Affidavit Aff PHV Mark Kleiman

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2 Text of Proposed Order Proposed PHV order Kleiman

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Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 15 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Mark Kleiman. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual upgraded PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. Counsel may need to link their CM/ECF account to their upgraded individual pacer account. Instructions on how to link CM/ECF accounts to upgraded pacer account can be found at https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-current-pacer-accounts.htm#link-account. (JAM) (Entered: 09/08/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

AMENDED COMPLAINT (FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT) against All Plaintiffs, filed by William Sussman, The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism, Lior Alon.(Gray, Amelia) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

MOTION to Seal Name of Plaintiff and to proceed under a Pseudonym by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

MEMORANDUM in Support re 18 MOTION to Seal Name of Plaintiff and to proceed under a Pseudonym filed by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

MOTION to Seal Document of the Unredacted Declaration of John Doe by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

DECLARATION re 20 MOTION to Seal Document of the Unredacted Declaration of John Doe by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Paul M. Eckles Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11244143 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

AFFIDAVIT in Support re 22 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Paul M. Eckles Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11244143 . (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Richard A. Rosen Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11244164 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

AFFIDAVIT in Support re 24 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Richard A. Rosen Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11244164 . (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Rebecca L. Harris Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11244171 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

AFFIDAVIT in Support re 26 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Rebecca L. Harris Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11244171 . (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 09/17/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 22 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Paul M. Eckles, granting 24 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Richard A. Rosen and granting 26 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Rebecca L. Harris. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. To register for a PACER account, go the Pacer website at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account. You must put the docket number under ADDITIONAL FILER INFORMATION on your form when registering or it will be rejected.Pro Hac Vice Admission Request Instructions https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-pro-hac-vice.htm.A Notice of Appearance must be entered on the docket by the newly admitted attorney. (JAM) (Entered: 09/18/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear AND Order on Motion for Leave to Appear AND Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

NOTICE of Appearance by Rebecca L. Harris on behalf of Lior Alon, William Sussman, The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Harris, Rebecca) (Entered: 09/19/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Paul M Eckles on behalf of Lior Alon, William Sussman, The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Eckles, Paul) (Entered: 09/19/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Ragini N. Shah on behalf of Palestine Legal (Shah, Ragini) (Entered: 09/22/2025)

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Radhika Sainath Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11252533 by Palestine Legal. (Attachments: # 1 Accompanying Certificate of Radhika Sainath)(Shah, Ragini) (Entered: 09/22/2025)

1 Accompanying Certificate of Radhika Sainath

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MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Sabiya Shelly Ahamed Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11252584 by Palestine Legal. (Attachments: # 1 Accompanying Certificate of Sabiya Ahamed)(Shah, Ragini) (Entered: 09/22/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 32 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Radhika Sainath and granting 33 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Sabiya Shelly Ahamed. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual upgraded PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. Counsel may need to link their CM/ECF account to their upgraded individual pacer account. Instructions on how to link CM/ECF accounts to upgraded pacer account can be found at https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-current-pacer-accounts.htm#link-account. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. To register for a PACER account, go the Pacer website at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account. You must put the docket number under ADDITIONAL FILER INFORMATION on your form when registering or it will be rejected.Pro Hac Vice Admission Request Instructions https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-pro-hac-vice.htm.A Notice of Appearance must be entered on the docket by the newly admitted attorney. (JAM) (Entered: 09/23/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 20 Motion to Seal Document. (JAM) (Entered: 09/23/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear AND Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

Order on Motion to Seal Document

MOTION for Extension of Time to October 8, 2025 to File Response to the Amended Complaint and Leave to File a Memorandum of Law up to 30 Pages (Unopposed) by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 09/26/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 36 Motion for Extension of Time. Defendants may file a memorandum of no more than 30 pages by October 8, 2025. (RGS, law3) (Entered: 09/29/2025)

MOTION for Extension of Time to October 8, 2025 to TO RESPOND TO THE AMENDED COMPLAINT AND LEAVE TO FILE A MEMORANDUM OF LAW UP TO 30 PAGES by Michel DeGraff.(Kleiman, Mark) (Entered: 09/29/2025)

Order on Motion for Extension of Time

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 38 Motion for Extension of Time. (RGS, law3) (Entered: 09/30/2025)

Order on Motion for Extension of Time

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Jonathan Wallace Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11283322 by Michel DeGraff. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Certificate of Good Standing)(Khanbabai, Mahsa) (Entered: 10/06/2025)

1

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Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 40 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Jonathan Wallace. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. To register for a PACER account, go the Pacer website at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account. You must put the docket number under ADDITIONAL FILER INFORMATION on your form when registering or it will be rejected.Pro Hac Vice Admission Request Instructions https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-pro-hac-vice.htm.A Notice of Appearance must be entered on the docket by the newly admitted attorney. (JAM) (Entered: 10/07/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Sabiya Ahamed on behalf of Palestine Legal (Ahamed, Sabiya) (Entered: 10/07/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Radhika Sainath on behalf of Palestine Legal (Sainath, Radhika) (Entered: 10/07/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel J. Cloherty on behalf of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cloherty, Daniel) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM or for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction (partial) by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

MEMORANDUM in Support re 46 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM or for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction (partial) filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Jaren D. Wilcoxson in Support of Partial Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint, # 2 Exhibit 1, # 3 Exhibit 2, # 4 Exhibit 3, # 5 Exhibit 4, # 6 Exhibit 5, # 7 Exhibit 6, # 8 Exhibit 7, # 9 Exhibit 8, # 10 Exhibit 9, # 11 Exhibit 10, # 12 Exhibit 11, # 13 Exhibit 12, # 14 Exhibit 13, # 15 Exhibit 14, # 16 Exhibit 15, # 17 Exhibit 16)(Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

1 Declaration of Jaren D. Wilcoxson in Support of Partial Motion to Dismiss the A

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2 Exhibit 1

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3 Exhibit 2

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4 Exhibit 3

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5 Exhibit 4

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6 Exhibit 5

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7 Exhibit 6

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8 Exhibit 7

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9 Exhibit 8

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10 Exhibit 9

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11 Exhibit 10

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12 Exhibit 11

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13 Exhibit 12

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14 Exhibit 13

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15 Exhibit 14

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16 Exhibit 15

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17 Exhibit 16

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MOTION to Dismiss PLAINTIFF'S FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT by Michel DeGraff.(Kleiman, Mark) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

Request for Judicial Notice IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO DISMISS PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT; DECLARATION OF MARK KLEIMAN by Michel DeGraff. (Kleiman, Mark) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

MOTION for Leave to File Amicus Brief by Palestine Legal. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Brief)(Sainath, Radhika) (Entered: 10/09/2025)

1 Proposed Brief

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Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 50 Motion for Leave to File Amicus Brief (JAM) (Entered: 10/09/2025)

AMICUS BRIEF filed by Palestine Legal. (JAM) (Entered: 10/09/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to File Document

MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply as to 48 MOTION to Dismiss PLAINTIFF'S FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT, 46 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM or for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction (partial) by William Sussman, The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism and Lior Alon.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 10/20/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting in part and denying in part 53 Motion for Extension of Time to File Response. Plaintiffs may file a combined opposition of no more than fifty (50) pages by December 8, 2025. Defendants may file a reply of no more than fifteen (15) pages by December 22, 2025. Given the length of the requested extension, the court is not inclined to any further delay of these deadlines. (RGS, law3) (Entered: 10/21/2025)

Order on Motion for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Jonathan D. Polkes Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11397840 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/04/2025)

DECLARATION re 55 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Jonathan D. Polkes Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11397840 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/04/2025)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Rachel Rodman Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11397867 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/04/2025)

DECLARATION re 57 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Rachel Rodman Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11397867 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/04/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 55 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Jonathan D. Polkes and granting 57 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Rachel Rodman. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. To register for a PACER account, go the Pacer website at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account. You must put the docket number under ADDITIONAL FILER INFORMATION on your form when registering or it will be rejected.Pro Hac Vice Admission Request Instructions https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-pro-hac-vice.htm.A Notice of Appearance must be entered on the docket by the newly admitted attorney. (JAM) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Richard A. Rosen on behalf of Lior Alon, William Sussman, The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Rosen, Richard) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Veronica Gordon Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11401216 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

DECLARATION re 61 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Veronica Gordon Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11401216 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Mark Davies Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11401244 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism.(Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

DECLARATION re 63 Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Mark Davies Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11401244 by The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Brown, Philip) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Jonathan D. Polkes on behalf of The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Polkes, Jonathan) (Entered: 12/05/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear AND Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 61 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Veronica Gordon and granting 63 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Mark Davies. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. To register for a PACER account, go the Pacer website at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account. You must put the docket number under ADDITIONAL FILER INFORMATION on your form when registering or it will be rejected.Pro Hac Vice Admission Request Instructions https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-pro-hac-vice.htm.A Notice of Appearance must be entered on the docket by the newly admitted attorney. (JAM) (Entered: 12/08/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Rachel Rodman on behalf of The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Rodman, Rachel) (Entered: 12/08/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Mark Davies on behalf of The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Davies, Mark) (Entered: 12/08/2025)

RESPONSE to Motion re 46 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM or for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction (partial), 48 MOTION to Dismiss PLAINTIFF'S FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT filed by Lior Alon, William Sussman, The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism. (Gray, Amelia) (Entered: 12/08/2025)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear AND Order on Motion for Leave to Appear

NOTICE of Appearance by Veronica Gordon on behalf of The Louis D Brandeis Center Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (Gordon, Veronica) (Entered: 12/10/2025)

CORRECTED AMICUS BRIEF filed by Palestine Legal. (JAM) (Entered: 12/17/2025)

REPLY to Response to 48 MOTION to Dismiss PLAINTIFF'S FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT filed by Michel DeGraff. (Kleiman, Mark) (Entered: 12/22/2025)

REPLY to Response to 46 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM or for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction (partial) filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 12/22/2025)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 18 Motion to Seal. Although there is a strong presumption against litigants proceeding anonymously, the First Circuit has identified four general categories of cases in which party anonymity may nonetheless be warranted:(1) cases in which disclosure of the would-be Doe's identity would "cause him unusually severe harm"; (2) "cases in which identifying the would-be Doe would harm 'innocent non-parties'"; (3) "cases in which anonymity is necessary to forestall a chilling effect on future litigants who may be similarly situated"; and (4) "suits that are bound up with a prior proceeding made confidential by law."Doe v. Town of Lisbon, 78 F.4th 38, 46 (1st Cir. 2023), quoting Doe v. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., 46 F.4th 61, 71 (1st Cir. 2022).Here, the court need look no further than the first category. Given the alleged harassment to which Sussman was exposed after his name was made public, Doe has shown that disclosure of his identity would create a significant risk of harm. The court thus will allow the motion to proceed pseudonymously. (RGS, law3) (Entered: 01/05/2026)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 46 Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim; granting 48 Motion to Dismiss.Direct Discrimination (Count I)Neither Alon nor Sussman opposes MIT's motion to dismiss his respective direct discrimination claim. The court accordingly will allow this portion of the motion without further analysis.Deliberate Indifference (Count II)The First Circuit has rejected the contention that plaintiffs' more general allegations about alleged discrimination on the MIT campus suffice to establish severe and pervasive racial harassment within the scope of Title VI. See Stand With Us Ctr. for Legal Just. v. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., 158 F.4th 1, 11 (1st Cir. 2025). (The Amended Complaint admittedly does include additional incidents post-dating the events described in the Stand With Us Complaint. But the court sees no basis on which to distinguish the First Circuit's conclusion that anti-Israeli sentiment is not, without more, antisemitic messaging.) The court accordingly focuses its analysis on the alleged harassment directly and personally experienced by Alon and Sussman.The court finds the course of conduct described in the Amended Complaint deeply troubling (indeed, it culminated in Sussman dropping out of his PhD program because of safety concerns). The Amended Complaint fails, however, to plausibly establish deliberate indifference on the part of MIT. See Stand With Us Ctr. for Legal Just. v. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., 742 F. Supp. 3d 133, 142 (D. Mass. 2024) ("Deliberate indifference is a stringent standard of fault. [A] claim that an institution could or should have done more does not establish deliberate indifference. Rather, plaintiffs must allege facts showing that MIT's response to the incidents was so lax, so misdirected, or so poorly executed as to be clearly unreasonable under the known circumstances.") (citations and internal quotation marks omitted) (alteration in original), aff'd Stand With Us, 158 F.4th at 22. The Title VI deliberate indifference claims of Alon and Sussman thus must be dismissed.Alon first reported DeGraff's purported harassment to MIT on June 17, 2024. MIT's failure to substantively address his concerns (or even to acknowledge receipt of his email) was far from what should be expected by a university administrator. The court cannot, however, reasonably infer from the allegations in the Amended Complaint that this response (or lack thereof) was "clearly unreasonable in light of the known circumstances." Davis ex rel. LaShonda D. v. Monroe Cnty. Bd. of Educ., 526 U.S. 629, 648 (1999). DeGraff's purported harassment of Alon seemingly did stop after Alon alerted administrators of his ugly behavior. Sussman reported DeGraff's harassment while it was ongoing. MIT's response to his first email left much to be desired -- it merely referred Sussman to support resources and shared the email exchange with Human Resources "for consideration of next steps." Am. Compl. [Dkt # 17] paras. 128. Sussman also finds deficiencies in its response to his formal complaint (MIT referred the complaint to Human Resources because it failed to find any antisemitic intent in the reported harassment). The court is not convinced, however, that MIT was affirmatively choosing to do the wrong thing in either instance.Retaliation (Counts III & VI)The court will dismiss the retaliation claims. Alon does not identify any materially adverse action which he experienced in the wake of reporting DeGraff's alleged harassment to administrators on June 17, 2024. The allegations regarding Sussman present a much closer call, but even assuming DeGraff did take materially adverse action against Sussman by escalating his harassment, his actions can only be attributed to the university under a deliberate indifference theory. See Czerwienski v. Harvard Univ., 666 F. Supp. 3d 49, 92 (D. Mass. 2023). For the reasons discussed above, Sussman has not shown that MIT was deliberately indifferent to any retaliation.Hostile Work Environment (Counts V)Alon has not plausibly alleged facts which would allow the court to reasonably infer that DeGraff's harassment interfered with his work performance at MIT. The court accordingly must dismiss the Title VII claim.State Law ClaimsIn the absence of any basis for federal jurisdiction, the court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Alon's or Sussman's state law claims.Coalition ClaimsThe court will allow the motion to dismiss the claims of the Coalition. Given the First Circuit's decision in Stand With Us rejecting a general environment of pervasive and severe racial harassment on similar allegations, the remaining claims are necessarily premised on the individual experiences of Doe. The Coalition thus cannot satisfy the third prong of Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advert. Comm'n, 432 U.S. 333, 343 (1977). (RGS, law3) (Entered: 01/05/2026)

Order on Motion to Dismiss AND Order on Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim

Order on Motion to Seal

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered. As defendant Massachusetts Institute of technology has not moved to dismiss the Doe Complaint and their Answer is due 1/25/26, the court enters the following pretrial schedule. Initial disclosures required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(1) must be completed by 2/2/26. The court will permit 30 interrogatories, 30 requests for admissions and 30 document requests without leave of court and expects those requests to be filed with the opposing counsel within 30 days of the initial disclosures (no later than 3/2/26). Each party may take up to five depositions without prior court approval. If the parties would like to participate in the court's mediation program, they must notify our docket clerk Jacqueline Martin (617-748-4647) by 8/28/26. All fact discovery must be completed no later than 9/9/26. Dispositive motions (if any) are due no later than 9/30/26, with Oppositions due no later than 10/21/26; a Reply may be filed only with leave of court. If a party intends to utilize an expert, they must file a notice on the docket no later than 8/21/26, in order for the court to consider whether an expert is appropriate (party must offer basic Fed. R. Evid. 702 and 703 information) and, if so, to alter the existing schedule. (MZ) (Entered: 01/06/2026)

Order

ANSWER to Complaint / First Amended Complaint (No. 17) by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Bhabha, Ishan) (Entered: 01/25/2026)

Assented to MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice for admission of Elizabeth Henthorne Filing fee: $ 125, receipt number AMADC-11725364 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.(Cloherty, Daniel) (Entered: 05/06/2026)

Judge Richard G. Stearns: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 81 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Elizabeth Henthorne. Attorneys admitted Pro Hac Vice must have an individual upgraded PACER account, not a shared firm account, to electronically file in the District of Massachusetts. Counsel may need to link their CM/ECF account to their upgraded individual pacer account. Instructions on how to link CM/ECF accounts to upgraded pacer account can be found at https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/nextgen-current-pacer-accounts.htm#link-account. (JAM) (Entered: 05/06/2026)

NOTICE of Appearance by Elizabeth Henthorne on behalf of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Henthorne, Elizabeth) (Entered: 05/06/2026)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear