Deborah L. Barnes
How Judge Barnes rules, drawn from 8 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Barnes no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Barnes
Deborah L. Barnes served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Sacramento Division of the Eastern District of California from 2016 until her retirement in 2024. Before joining the bench, she worked as a California Deputy Attorney General.
How Judge Barnes decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Social Security appeals she reverses and remands the Commissioner's decision where it is not supported, ordering an award of benefits in a clear case.
“Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 15) is granted; ... The Commissioner's decision is reversed; ... This matter is remanded for the immediate award of benefits”
Procedural preferences
On screening of pro se and prisoner complaints she recommends dismissal without leave to amend where the pleading fails to state a claim and amendment would be futile.
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that plaintiff's first amended complaint be dismissed without leave to amend for failure to state a claim.”
She recommends dismissal without prejudice for failure to prosecute under the district's local rules when a plaintiff does not move the case forward.
“IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED that: 1. This matter be DISMISSED without prejudice for failure to prosecute (see Local Rule 183(b))”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
On sua sponte screening under 28 U.S.C. Section 1915(e) of a pro se prisoner's Section 1983 conditions-of-confinement complaint, Barnes dismissed for failure to state a claim but granted leave to amend. Applying Iqbal and Twombly plausibility standards and Eighth Amendment deliberate-indifference doctrine, she found that a five-day shower deprivation was not severe or prolonged and that merely naming the warden did not establish personal participation. No party motion was pending.
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that plaintiff's first amended complaint be dismissed without leave to amend for failure to state a claim.”
“IT IS RECOMMENDED that respondent's motion to dismiss the petition (ECF No. 11) be granted and the petition for writ of habeas corpus be dismissed as untimely.”
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that petitioner's motion for the appointment of counsel (ECF No. 13) is denied”
“IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED that: 1. Plaintiff's complaint filed March 9, 2023 (ECF No. 1) be dismissed without prejudice; and 2. This action be closed.”
“Defendant's May 16, 2023 motion to dismiss (ECF No. 17) is denied without prejudice as having been rendered moot.”
“IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED that: 1. This matter be DISMISSED without prejudice for failure to prosecute (see Local Rule 183(b))”
“Respondent's motion to dismiss filed November 5, 2018 (ECF No. 13) be DENIED as moot.”
“Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 15) is granted; ... The Commissioner's decision is reversed; ... This matter is remanded for the immediate award of benefits”
“Defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 18) is denied;”
“Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 9) is denied;”
“Defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 11) is granted; The Commissioner's decision is affirmed;”
“Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 18) is granted in part and denied in part; ... The Commissioner's decision is reversed; This matter is remanded for further proceedings consistent with the order”
“Defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 21) is granted in part and denied in part;”
“Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 13) is granted in part and denied in part; ... The Commissioner's decision is reversed; This matter is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this order”
“Defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 15) is granted in part and denied in part;”
“IT IS ORDERED that the above-captioned action is remanded to the Commissioner of Social Security for further proceedings pursuant to the fourth sentence of Section 205(g) ... reversing the final decision of the Commissioner and close this case.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
- Barnes was the consent (636(c)) assigned magistrate judge on a Sacramento docket dominated by Social Security disability appeals; she entered the final consent judgment.
- Many of these dockets were opened and screened by predecessor magistrate judges before reassignment to her.
- Her broader referral docket also carried prisoner civil-rights (42 U.S.C. 1983) screening and state habeas (28 U.S.C. 2254) 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 | 1 |
| 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 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 2025 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 2 | 2 |
| Sep 2023 | 2 | 1 |
| Mar 2023 | 23 | 1 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2022 | 4 | 0 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 2020 | 5 | 2 |
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.
A historical record
Judge Barnes 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.