Kevin may be correct when describing the case as not negatively impacting Ford's credibility. That is what some of us deserve for speculating the poster of that info wouldn't have bothered if it was a nothing-burger.
Nonetheless, I wouldn't bet on it unless the duration between paying off the debt with its generally simultaneous filing on the record of a release of lien (12-17) and the granting of dismissal <1-17) was a statutory period.
If it was not a statutory matter, Mr. & Mrs. Ford who were no doubt anxious and impatient to have their credit restored especially over the holidays might have wondered why the court was taking its sweet time to clear the title. And, they may have shared that view rather bitterly with close family members.
But again, Kevin is correct, there are much clearer issues with this dedicated political operative.
For what it's worth, judges generally don't do anything without being asked by someone. Once the payment was made, it would have been up to the lender to request dismissal. If the lender dragged its feet in doing so, the attorney for the borrower would ask the lender to do so. If the lender continued to drag its feet, the attorney for the borrower would ask the judge to dismiss the case.
The Blasey refinance closed on 12/17/96. According to the docket, the lender (plaintiff) filed the motion to dismiss on 01/27/97. That is a reasonable period of time. Nobody asked Judge Kavanaugh to get involved prior to that. She then signed the dismissal on 02/04/97, only a week after it was filed, which is actually pretty fast for a judge. (I have some experience in these matters.) I could see there being some animosity towards Kavanaugh if she failed to timely act on something after being asked to do so, but the record does not reflect that.
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God blesses the intelligent poster and citizen .... and also the batter who easily smacks the good curve ball.
;-)