Stephen S. Trott

How Judge Trott rules, drawn from 31 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Judge Trott no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.

Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Position
Circuit judge
Status
No longer serving
Appointed by
Ronald Reagan (Republican)
Commissioned
March 25, 1988
Education
Wesleyan University (B.A., 1962); Harvard Law School (LL.B., 1965)
Signed orders read
31

About Judge Trott

Stephen S. Trott joined the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1988 after appointment by President Ronald Reagan. He previously served as a federal prosecutor and in senior positions at the United States Department of Justice. He assumed senior status in December 2004 and inactive senior status in December 2020.

How Judge Trott decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

Reads the Fair Labor Standards Act’s retaliation provisions to permit a claim against an employer’s lawyer who allegedly retaliated against an employee, while limiting the ruling to retaliation.

“Arias may proceed with this retaliation action against Raimondo under FLSA sections 215(a)(3) and 216(b).”

Procedural preferences

For equitable tolling of a habeas deadline, examines whether a petitioner’s mental illness actually prevented filing, beyond whether the petitioner understood his legal rights.

“Even if Forbess had understood his legal rights completely, he would not have filed.”

Cautions

Declines to extend a military-service immigration preference to service in an allied nation’s armed forces when Congress did not write that category into the statute.

“We suppose that Congress as a policy matter could extend the privilege Lim seeks to persons serving in the armed forces of our allies, but the short and conclusive answer is that it has not done so.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Hyuk Joon Lim v. Holder
09-70042 · 2013-03-26
Petition for review (petitioner (Hyuk Joon Lim, alien)) Denied

“PETITION DENIED.”

United States v. Perez-Valencia
12-50063 · 2013-07-16
Appeal (appellant (defendant Mayel Perez-Valencia)) Moot / procedural

“Accordingly, we remand for the limited purpose of findings of fact as required by these questions. This panel retains jurisdiction over any further appeals.”

United States v. Shane Stone
11-10618 · 2013-02-07
Appeal (appellant (defendant Shane Stone)) Denied

“Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is affirmed.”

Peter-Palican v. Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
10-17153 · 2012-08-22
Appeal (appellants (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Governor Fitial)) Granted

“Therefore, we vacate the district court's judgment in favor of Peter-Palican, including its award of damages and injunctive relief.”

United States v. Paul H. Schneider
03-30527 · 2005-11-18
Appeal (appellant (defendant Paul H. Schneider)) Moot / procedural

“Accordingly, we remand to the district court with instructions that the court follow the procedures outlined in Ameline.”

JT USA, LP v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
No. 12-70037 · 2014-11-14
Appeal (appellant (Commissioner of Internal Revenue)) Granted

“Thus, because we hold that the taxpayers' disputed elections to opt out were invalid, we remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”

Forbess v. Franke
12-35843 · 2014-04-18
Appeal (petitioner-appellant (Steven Charles Forbess)) Granted

“We reverse the judgment of the district court and remand for further proceedings.”

Houston v. Schomig
10-15048 · 2011-03-08
Appeal (petitioner-appellant (Steve Houston)) Denied

“Because the district court's findings and conclusions are well supported by the record and the law, we affirm.”

Soria Vega v. Holder
07-72618 · 2010-07-19
Petition for review (petitioner (Juan Soria Vega, alien)) Denied

“The BIA did not abuse its discretion by denying Soria Vega's motion to reopen as untimely.”

Harrigfeld v. Hancock
01-35525 · 2004-04-05
Appeal (plaintiffs-appellants (Terri and Sara Harrigfeld)) Denied

“Consequently, we affirm the judgment of the district court granting summary judgment against the plaintiffs and dismissing their complaint in its entirety.”

Alocozy v. U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services
11-16557 · 2012-12-28
Appeal (petitioner-appellant (Abdul H. Alocozy)) Denied

“The district court's grant of summary judgment to the USCIS as a matter of law was justified.”

Arias v. Raimondo
No. 15-16120 · 2017-06-22
Appeal (plaintiff-appellant (Jose Arnulfo Arias)) Granted

“REVERSED and REMANDED for further proceedings.”

A historical record

Judge Trott no longer sits on this 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.