David T. Bristow
How Judge Bristow rules, drawn from 17 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Bristow
David T. Bristow returned to the U.S. magistrate bench in the Central District of California in November 2023 and sits in Riverside. He previously served as a magistrate judge in the district from 2009 to 2017. Between those terms, he was general counsel and executive vice president of Entrepreneurial Corporate Group.
Judge Bristow's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Bristow, 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 ↗
- SAMPLE SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE ORDER ↗
- SAMPLE STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER.pdf ↗
Key rules
Filing
Mandatory chambers copies of all e-filed documents must be delivered to the chambers copy box on the 3rd Floor by noon on the court day following the date of filing as required by Local Civil Rule 5-4.5.
“Mandatory chambers copies of all e-filed documents must be delivered to the chambers copy box on the 3rd Floor by noon on the court day following the date of filing as required by Local Civil Rule 5-4.5.”
Discovery
Prior to filing a discovery motion, an informal discovery conference before the Magistrate Judge must be held.
“Prior to filing a discovery motion, an informal discovery conference before the Magistrate Judge must be held.”
Conferences
As soon as a case is ripe for settlement or at least 30 days prior to settlement completion deadlines pursuant to the District Judge's scheduling conference order, the parties should contact the CRD with three (3) stipulated proposed dates for a settlement conference.
“As soon as a case is ripe for settlement or at least 30 days prior to settlement completion deadlines pursuant to the District Judge's scheduling conference order, the parties should contact the CRD with three (3) stipulated proposed dates for a settlement conference.”
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 Bristow decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On his consent Social Security appeals docket, a distinct pattern separates stipulated from contested cases: roughly two-thirds of the sampled remands were stipulated: the Commissioner agreed to a remand before any contested ruling, and he signed judgment within days of the stipulation. On the smaller set of appeals that reached a genuine contested decision after full merits briefing, the outcomes were close to evenly split between reversal/remand and affirmance, not lopsided toward either side.
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
In the consent immigration-habeas matters reviewed, he treated the government's election not to oppose the petition's merits as an independent basis for relief, then tailored the remedy to a bond hearing or immediate release.
“Respondents’ non-opposition itself provides a basis to grant the Petition.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is reversed and this action is remanded for further proceedings.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is affirmed and this action is dismissed with prejudice.”
“IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is affirmed and this action is dismissed with prejudice.”
“IT THEREFORE IS ORDERED that Judgment be entered: (1) Granting the Petition;”
“IT THEREFORE IS ORDERED that Judgment be entered: (1) Granting the Petition;”
“IT THEREFORE IS ORDERED that: (1) Judgment be entered granting the Petition;”
“IT THEREFORE IS ORDERED that: (1) Judgment be entered granting the Petition; (2) a writ of habeas corpus be issued requiring Respondents to immediately release Petitioner Roxana Liseth Torres Ayala (A# 240-546-471) from custody”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 167 days (N = 17).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 13 days (N = 11).
- Judge Bristow's current docket is led by consent Social Security disability appeals filed from 2023 through 2025.
- About one-third of the reviewed Social Security outcomes were stipulated remands agreed to before a contested ruling; the remainder were decided after merits briefing.
- His growing immigration-detention habeas calendar produced nine consent final orders in July through October 2026, including two bond-hearing orders and seven immediate-release orders.
- He also handles consent contract, consumer, employment, and ADA cases in Riverside, many of which settle or end voluntarily, plus periodic misdemeanor and probation matters.
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 | 6 |
| 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 | 6 | 0 |
| Sep 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 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 Bristow: 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 Bristow with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Bristow, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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- Grounded in Judge Bristow's own signed orders
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