Michael A. Chagares
How Judge Chagares rules, drawn from 35 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Chagares
Michael A. Chagares is Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Appointed by President George W. Bush, he received his commission on April 20, 2006.
Judge Chagares's practices and standing orders
The court's website lists no individual practices or standing orders of Judge Chagares's own (checked October 11, 2026), so the court's local rules and general orders are the place to look (court page ↗).
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026).
- Third Circuit Motions Practice ↗
- Motions to Exceed the Page or Word Limitations ↗
- Motions for Extensions of Time and Clarification of L.A.R. 110 ↗
- Vacating Option B for Filing of an Appendix ↗
- Reduced Number of Copies of Briefs Required ↗
- Stays in Immigration Cases ↗
- Submission of Audio and Video Files ↗
How Judge Chagares decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Hatikvah International Academy v. East Brunswick Township Board of Education, he held that the resident school district owed all costs of a disabled student's placement while its challenge to the placement was pending, and reversed the contrary allocation in part.
“This rule is protective in nature and reflects Congress’s policy choice that all children with disabilities remain in their current educational placement until the dispute about their placement is resolved, ‘regardless of whether their case is meritorious or not.’”
In Henry v. Wilmington Trust, Chagares held that an arbitration clause’s waiver of plan-wide ERISA remedies was unenforceable and, under the clause’s nonseverability term, affirmed refusal to compel arbitration.
“And when a provision of an arbitration clause purports to waive rights that a statute creates, it is a prohibited prospective waiver, and the provision must give way to the statute.”
Procedural preferences
In United States v. Spoonhour, he granted appointed counsel's Anders withdrawal motion and affirmed a within-Guidelines sentence after independent review found no nonfrivolous appellate issue.
“For the reasons that follow, we will grant the motion and affirm Spoonhour’s sentence.”
In Li v. Attorney General, Chagares denied review of a removal order because the airport-interview omission and lack of reasonably available medical records gave substantial evidence for the adverse credibility finding.
“Because we conclude that the IJ’s decision is supported by substantial evidence, we will deny the petition for review.”
In Williams v. Attorney General, Chagares wrote separately that people seeking restoration of federal firearm rights should generally first use the renewed administrative process under section 925(c). He would excuse Williams because the case had been pending since before that process resumed; this was his separate view, not the majority’s rule.
“individuals seeking to have their Second Amendment rights restored must first pursue their claims through the revitalized administrative process outlined in 18 U.S.C. § 925(c).”
Cautions
In Barna v. Board of School Directors of the Panther Valley School District, Chagares reached an otherwise forfeited municipal immunity issue because the district court’s ruling directly conflicted with Supreme Court precedent and exceptional circumstances justified review.
“For all of these reasons, we conclude that there are exceptional circumstances permitting review of the otherwise forfeited issue of the Board’s entitlement to immunity.”
In Coleman v. System One Holdings, Chagares dismissed an interlocutory appeal for lack of jurisdiction because the district court had ordered limited discovery into arbitrability while leaving the motion to compel arbitration pending.
“We hold that we lack appellate jurisdiction in such circumstances, and we will therefore dismiss this appeal.”
In United States v. Figueroa, he affirmed a conviction for assaulting a federal employee because any unpreserved error in the instruction about the victim's federal employment had no reasonable probability of affecting the verdict.
“In light of this evidence, there is no reasonable probability that the District Court’s purportedly erroneous instruction affected the outcome of the verdict, nor that it resulted in a miscarriage of justice.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“We will thus affirm the District Court’s order.”
“For the reasons that follow, we will affirm the judgment of the District Court.”
“We hold that we lack appellate jurisdiction in such circumstances, and we will therefore dismiss this appeal.”
“For the foregoing reasons, we will reverse in part, affirm in part, and remand for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion.”
“For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm the order of the District Court.”
“As a result, we will dismiss Murray’s appeal.”
“For the reasons stated, we will affirm the judgment of the District Court.”
“For the foregoing reasons, we will dismiss the petition in part and deny it in part.”
“For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm the District Court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of the individual officials of the Panther Valley School Board in their individual capacities. We will vacate the District Court’s order granting summary judgment to the Panther Valley School Board and the individual officials in their official capacities and will remand for proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
“Because we conclude that East Brunswick bears the burden of H.K.’s pendent placement costs under the stay-put rule, we will reverse the District Court’s Order with respect to H.K.’s tuition costs and remand for further proceedings.”
“For the foregoing reasons, we will vacate the District Court’s order denying the petition and remand this case to the District Court with instructions to dismiss the petition as moot.”
“For the reasons that follow, we will affirm the District Court’s denial of the writ.”
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