A. Joel Richlin
How Judge Richlin rules, drawn from 18 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Richlin
A. Joel Richlin has served as a United States magistrate judge for the Central District of California since July 2023. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 2003 and a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 2006.
Judge Richlin's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Richlin, as published on the court's website (checked October 8, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
- Judge's Procedures and Schedules ↗
- Civil Trial Order (PDF) ↗
- Stipulated Protective Order (PDF) ↗
- Stipulated Protective Order (Word) ↗
Key rules
Filing
Judge Richlin does not require courtesy copies in civil cases, but does require courtesy copies of all filings in criminal cases.
“Judge Richlin does not require courtesy copies in civil cases, but does require courtesy copies of all filings in criminal cases.”
Discovery
No discovery motion may be filed until the Court has conducted a pre-motion conference via Zoom unless the movant has obtained leave of Court sought by an ex parte application.
“No discovery motion may be filed until the Court has conducted a pre-motion conference via Zoom unless the movant has obtained leave of Court sought by an ex parte application.”
Conferences
A party may request a telephonic or Zoom appearance by sending an email request to chambers and copying all other parties on the email ([email protected]).
“A party may request a telephonic or Zoom appearance by sending an email request to chambers and copying all other parties on the email ([email protected]).”
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 8, 2026).
- General Order 11-10: Alternative Dispute Resolution Program ↗
- General Order 19-01: Criminal Duty Matters Electronic Filing Pilot Project ↗
- General Order 20-13: Criminal Duty Matters Electronic Filing Pilot Project ↗
- General Order 18-02: Submission of Certain Prisoner Filings Through Electronic Mail ↗
- General Order 24-07: Criminal Justice Act Plan ↗
How Judge Richlin decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Jammie C., Richlin reversed the Commissioner's Social Security decision and remanded for further proceedings.
“the decision of the Commissioner is REVERSED and this action is REMANDED to the Agency for further administrative proceedings consistent with this decision.”
Procedural preferences
In Zepeda, Richlin granted this detainee's habeas petition and ordered immediate release on her prior supervision conditions.
“the Court GRANTS the Petition and orders Respondents to immediately release Petitioner from custody on her prior conditions of supervision that existed prior to her detention on May 7, 2026.”
Cautions
In Brenda M., Richlin affirmed the Commissioner's Social Security decision.
“For the reasons stated below, the decision of the Commissioner is AFFIRMED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“For the reasons stated below, the decision of the Commissioner is AFFIRMED.”
“the decision of the Commissioner is REVERSED and this action is REMANDED to the Agency for further administrative proceedings consistent with this decision.”
“MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge A. Joel Richlin. IT IS ORDERED that Judgment be entered REVERSING the decision of the Commissioner”
“the Court GRANTS the Petition and orders Respondents to immediately release Petitioner from custody on her prior conditions of supervision that existed prior to her detention on May 7, 2026.”
“MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER GRANTING PETITION AND ORDERING IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON PRIOR CONDITIONS OF RELEASE by Magistrate Judge A. Joel Richlin ... Respondents shall immediately release Petitioner from custody pursuant to the same conditions of release in place at the time of his re-detention on August 26, 2025.”
“the Court GRANTS the Petition as follows. Respondents shall immediately release Petitioner Alejandro Velasco Gonzalez (A# 205-721-136)”
“The Petition must be DENIED based on lack of jurisdiction.”
“the Court GRANTS the Petition as follows. Respondents shall immediately release Petitioner from custody on Petitioners prior conditions of release”
“The Court GRANTS the Petition as follows. Respondents shall immediately release Petitioner Rudy Leonardo Luna Hernandez”
Pending matters in the official report
Reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts under the Civil Justice Reform Act, as of March 31, 2026.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 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.
How long civil cases take in this court
For the whole of United States District Court for the Central District of California, not for Judge Richlin: median time from filing to disposition of the civil cases the court closed in the 12 months ending September 30, 2025, as reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
| Cases | Median time | |
|---|---|---|
| All civil cases closed | 15,190 | 3.9 months |
| Closed with no court action | 4,414 | 3.1 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 10,538 | 4.3 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 103 | 17.9 months |
| Closed during trial | 135 | 25.7 months |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 15,190 | 3.9 months |
| Sep 2024 | 15,348 | 3.9 months |
| Sep 2023 | 13,583 | 4.4 months |
| Sep 2022 | 12,887 | 4.7 months |
| Sep 2021 | 14,213 | 4.7 months |
| Sep 2020 | 14,205 | 5 months |
| Sep 2019 | 13,478 | 4.9 months |
The table leaves out prisoner petitions, land condemnations, deportation reviews, recovery of overpayments and enforcement of judgments, and reports no median for fewer than 10 cases. A district that closed a large multidistrict litigation in the period shows very large counts and long medians for that year. Source: Table C-5, U.S. District Courts (spreadsheet).
Draft for Judge Richlin with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Richlin, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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