Neil McGill Gorsuch
How Judge Gorsuch rules, drawn from 34 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Gorsuch left this court for the U.S. Supreme Court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Gorsuch
Neil M. Gorsuch was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Appointed by President George W. Bush, Judge Gorsuch received a commission on August 8, 2006. Judge Gorsuch left the court on April 9, 2017 on appointment to the Supreme Court of the United States.
How Judge Gorsuch decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A reasonable disability accommodation had to enable the employee to work rather than excuse the employee from working for an extended period.
“After all, reasonable accommodations — typically things like adding ramps or allowing more flexible working hours — are all about enabling employees to work, not to not work.”
Law-of-the-case doctrine allowed a court to decline renewed consideration of issues resolved earlier in the litigation.
“Law of the case doctrine permits a court to decline the invitation to reconsider issues already resolved earlier in the life of a litigation.”
Procedural preferences
A new legal theory not presented below could support reversal only if the appellant satisfied plain-error review.
“If a newly raised legal theory is entitled to appellate review at all — if it wasn’t waived before the district court — it may form a basis for reversal only if the appellant can satisfy the elements of the plain error standard of review.”
A final pretrial order could be amended only when necessary to prevent manifest injustice.
“a final pretrial order focused on formulating a plan for an impending trial may be amended ‘only to prevent manifest injustice.’”
Cautions
Mandamus was withheld when petitioners failed to show that waiting for ordinary review would cause irreparable injury.
“the petitioners fail to offer a convincing reason to think that without an immediate remedy they will face an irreparable injury.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“we dismiss this appeal as moot, vacate the judgment of the district court, and remand with instructions to dismiss the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”
“Counsel’s motion to withdraw is granted and this appeal is dismissed.”
“The judgment of the district court is affirmed.”
“grant of summary judgment to the defendants is affirmed.”
“The judgment of the district court is affirmed.”
A historical record
Judge Gorsuch left this court for the U.S. Supreme Court. 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.