Sidney Runyan Thomas
How Judge Thomas decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Requires a documented, stepwise assessment when an agency evaluates mental impairments.
“We reverse the judgment of the district court with instructions to remand to the ALJ to conduct a proper review of Keyser’s mental impairments.”
Requires specific intent before applying the bankruptcy discharge exception for willful tax evasion.
“we vacate the judgment and remand so that the courts can reanalyze the case using the specific intent standard”
Procedural preferences
Returns preserved procedural claims to the agency when the agency failed to decide them.
“We therefore remand to the BIA for determination of the claim that Montes-Lopez’s right to counsel was violated at the proceedings before the IJ.”
Leaves unresolved questions for the trial court's first-instance analysis rather than deciding them on an incomplete record.
“We remand to allow the district court to conduct such an analysis in the first instance. We do not prejudge the outcome of that inquiry.”
Cautions
Does not create a federal common-law remedy where the governing field has been displaced and the solution belongs to the political branches.
“the solution to Kivalina’s dire circumstance must rest in the hands of the legislative and executive branches of our government, not the federal common law”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“We reverse the district court’s order denying the motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ claims arising under section 1194 of the California Labor Code. REVERSED.”
“Because the parties here did not form an agreement to arbitrate, we resolve this appeal without determining whether the Citibank agreement’s delegation clause would otherwise require an arbitrator to determine the scope or enforceability of the arbitration provision. AFFIRMED.”
“the district court correctly concluded that the Settlement was not a coupon settlement within the meaning of CAFA, and did not abuse its discretion in making the fee award. AFFIRMED.”
“We therefore affirm the district court’s grant of the Reporters’ motion to strike the complaint under California’s anti-SLAPP statute. AFFIRMED.”
“having concluded that federal jurisdiction is constrained by the TIA, there is no need for us to reach that issue. AFFIRMED.”
“We affirm the judgment of the district court denying federal habeas relief. AFFIRMED.”
“the BAP correctly concluded that sending faxes was not the equivalent of paying taxes. Therefore, it properly affirmed the holding of the bankruptcy court that the California state taxes that Sienega owed were non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. AFFIRMED.”
“We therefore remand to the BIA for determination of the claim that Montes-Lopez’s right to counsel was violated at the proceedings before the IJ. PETITION GRANTED; REMANDED.”
“We conclude that it has jurisdiction and we grant the petition for review.”
“The district court properly concluded that the bankruptcy court properly exercised jurisdiction over the malpractice claim and correctly dismissed the case on the merits. AFFIRMED.”
“For these reasons, we affirm the judgment of the district court without reaching the merits of Nitco’s argument. AFFIRMED.”
“We reverse the judgment of the district court with instructions to remand to the ALJ to conduct a proper review of Keyser’s mental impairments. REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.”
Put Judge Thomas's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Thomas actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Thomas's own signed orders and cites them.