Billy Roy Wilson
How Judge Wilson rules, drawn from 18 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Wilson no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Wilson
Billy Roy Wilson was a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Appointed by President William J. Clinton, Judge Wilson received a commission on October 1, 1993. Judge Wilson assumed senior status on October 1, 2008 and served until death on October 27, 2025.
How Judge Wilson decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Morgan, Wilson held the employee noncompete clauses unenforceable because they covered prospective future customers; applying Arkansas law, he declined to rewrite or partially enforce them.
“Accordingly, the noncompete clauses are unenforceable, and the Morgans are entitled to summary judgment on this issue.”
He resisted expanding statutory text to cover a procedural dismissal Congress had not listed.
“reading failure to exhaust administrative remedies into the text of § 1915(g) is, in my view, classic judicial legislation rather than statutory interpretation.”
He tailored potentially prejudicial evidence to the narrow point for which it was legitimately relevant.
“this melon should be sliced as thinly as possible”
Procedural preferences
On remand, he resolved factual disputes and legal ambiguity in favor of the state forum.
“All doubts should be resolved in favor of remand.”
He respected jury damage awards unless they were so excessive as to show passion, prejudice, or improper influence.
“The question is whether the award is so large, and so out of line, that it ‘shocks the conscience’ of the Court or that it shows the jurors were improperly motivated.”
In Rush v. Wyeth, he described a memorandum on an expert-testimony issue as trenchant.
“a trenchant memorandum, I note with pleasure”
Cautions
He awarded fees when counsel ignored repeated scheduling efforts and treated discovery obligations casually.
“studied neglect, and, apparently, had a cavalier attitude about the discovery process.”
A party seeking to alter an environmental remedy received no relief on propositions unsupported by authority.
“They provide me no authority for this proposition.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Court, therefore, affirms the Bankruptcy Court’s conclusion that Appellant’s motion to convert should be denied.”
“Thus, Defendant Thompson’s objection to the use of Rule 1.8 for the purpose mentioned above is overruled.”
“Accordingly, defendant’s motion for a new trial is denied.”
“Accordingly, the Motion for Remittitur is denied.”
“On February 28, 2003, I granted summary judgment in this case for the Plaintiff and entered judgment consistent with that order.”
“That Motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”
“All further development on the Landers Island is enjoined pending the completion of the permitting process.”
“Based on the evidence and law, the Temporary Restraining Order is DISSOLVED and the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction is DENIED.”
“Neither Mr. Chamberlain, nor his firm, Bond and Chamberlain, are proper parties to his action, so they are dismissed from the action.”
“Therefore, the complaint is DISMISSED without prejudice. This dismissal shall not count as a ‘strike’ under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g).”
“So, a limited reference to Defendant’s earlier SEC problem will be permitted over objection. Still, in my judgment, this melon should be sliced as thinly as possible”
“Accordingly, Third Party Plaintiff Todd Smith’s Motion for Attorney’s Fees and Expenses is GRANTED in the amount of $907.50.”
“Based on the findings of fact and conclusions of law above, Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand is DENIED.”
“Plaintiffs’ Petition to Quiet Title in them is DENIED.”
“The United States as Counter Claimant, has good and clear title to the property interests retained in the Patent of 1965.”
“Cross Defendant, Minnesota Life Insurance Company’s Motion to Dismiss the Claims of Plaintiff and Cross Plaintiff, Floyd Knighton (Doc. No. 45) is DENIED.”
“Defendant’s Motion to Strike Expert Testimony Re: Legal Conclusions of Drs. *1045Gueriguian and Sackett (Doc. No. 576) is DENIED (exceptions saved).”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 16 days (N = 17).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 8 days (N = 5).
The nineteen most recent in-service assignments were dominated by short prisoner civil-rights matters, with one freedom-of-information case and several matters lacking a nature-of-suit label. This is a recent assignment slice rather than a complete tenure-wide census.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Wilson was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of September 30, 2025.
| Motions pending more than six months | 0 |
| Bench trials submitted more than six months | 0 |
| Bankruptcy appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Social Security appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 0 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 4 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 3 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 2020 | 1 | 0 |
A snapshot on that date: matters listed may since have been decided or reassigned. A motion referred to a magistrate judge is counted for both judges. Motions in multidistrict litigation, section 2255 cases and Social Security appeals are not counted, and a very large three-year count is generally a multidistrict docket. Source: Appendix A of the report (PDF); about the report.
A historical record
Judge Wilson no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.