John W. Holcomb
How Judge Holcomb rules, drawn from 18 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Holcomb
John William Holcomb is a judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Appointed by President Donald J. Trump, Judge Holcomb received a commission on September 18, 2020.
Judge Holcomb's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Holcomb, 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 ↗
- STANDING ORDER (Rev. 2026).pdf ↗
- CIVIL TRIAL SCHEDULING ORDER (Rev. 2026).pdf ↗
- SAMPLE PROPOSED ORDER (Rev. 2026).docx ↗
Key rules
Filing
When filing or opposing a motion, electronically lodge a proposed order in the court’s sample format.
“Each party filing or opposing a motion, or presenting a Stipulation for an Order, or seeking the determination of any matter, shall serve and electronically lodge a Proposed Order in the format of the Sample Proposed Order on the Court’s website.”
Filing
Chambers copies are unnecessary unless the court specifically requests them.
“Mandatory Chambers are not required unless specifically requested by Chambers.”
Conferences
Attend hearings in person; the court does not allow virtual or telephone appearances.
“The Court does NOT allow virtual or telephonic appearances; all hearings are conducted in person. No remote access to court proceedings will be provided to parties, counsel, witnesses, visitors, or others.”
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 Holcomb decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
Accepts the magistrate's report and recommendation denying habeas relief and declines to issue a certificate of appealability.
“ORDER ACCEPTING FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE AND DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY by Judge John W. Holcomb. ... 1. The findings and conclusions of the Magistrate Judge in the Report and Recommendation are ACCEPTED. 2. Judgment shall be entered DENYING the petition and DISMISSING this action with prejudice. 3. ... a certificate of appealability will not issue in this action.”
In Sinquimani, Holcomb granted remand of a vehicle warranty suit after plaintiff’s counsel stipulated in open court that the amount in controversy did not exceed $75,000.
“Pursuant to the stipulation of counsel for Plaintiff in open court, the amount of controversy in this action does not exceed $75,000. Therefore, this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction.”
In Littlejohn, Holcomb dismissed a third amended complaint but allowed a fourth complaint limited to the plaintiff’s ADA and Rehabilitation Act claims against the state hospital defendants.
“Littlejohn is DIRECTED to file a Fourth Amended Complaint, if at all, no later than May 28, 2026, amending only his ADA and Rehabilitation Act claims against the State Hospital Defendants.”
Cautions
Denies a habeas petition and dismisses the action with prejudice, entering judgment on the magistrate's report and recommendation.
“JUDGMENT by Judge John W. Holcomb, Related to: R&R - Accepting Report and Recommendations, 28 It is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, and DECREED as follows: 1. The Petition in this matter is DENIED. 2. The action is DISMISSED with prejudice. (MD JS-6, Case Terminated).”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“JUDGMENT by Judge John W. Holcomb, Related to: R&R - Accepting Report and Recommendations, 28 It is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, and DECREED as follows: 1. The Petition in this matter is DENIED. 2. The action is DISMISSED with prejudice. (MD JS-6, Case Terminated).”
“ORDER ACCEPTING FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE AND DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY by Judge John W. Holcomb. ... 1. The findings and conclusions of the Magistrate Judge in the Report and Recommendation are ACCEPTED. 2. Judgment shall be entered DENYING the petition and DISMISSING this action with prejudice. 3. ... a certificate of appealability will not issue in this action.”
“Naylor’s Motion to remand is GRANTED.”
“The pending motion to dismiss, filed by Defendants Acrisure, 17 Brakke, and Brakke-Schafnitz Insurance Brokers, LLC, is DENIED as moot.”
“Petitioner’s Ex Parte Application [ECF No. 2] is GRANTED.”
“Judgment shall be entered GRANTING the First Amended 10 Petition.”
“Judgment will be entered DENYING the Petition and 2 DISMISSING this action with prejudice.”
“Judgment shall be entered GRANTING the petition for writ 8 of habeas corpus.”
“Rivera-Cobian’s instant Motion [ECF No. 3] is DENIED.”
“Judgment shall be entered GRANTING the Petition.”
“The petition for writ of habeas corpus is GRANTED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The sampled docket spans immigration and state-prisoner habeas, insurance, consumer credit, intellectual property, civil rights, and federal criminal matters. The 2026 immigration-detention cohort includes petitions that have since reached a decision alongside pending matters. Case durations below use filing and termination dates for terminated sampled dockets.
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 | 34 |
| Bench trials submitted more than six months | 0 |
| Bankruptcy appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Social Security appeals pending more than six months | 1 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 20 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 34 | 20 |
| Sep 2025 | 47 | 16 |
| Mar 2025 | 42 | 17 |
| Sep 2024 | 24 | 22 |
| Mar 2024 | 25 | 15 |
| Sep 2023 | 59 | 14 |
| Mar 2023 | 53 | 11 |
| Sep 2022 | 33 | 14 |
| Mar 2022 | 38 | 12 |
| Sep 2021 | 11 | 11 |
| Mar 2021 | 18 | 11 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 8 |
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 Holcomb: 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 Holcomb with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Holcomb, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge Holcomb's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace