Ila C. Deiss
How Judge Deiss rules, drawn from 22 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Deiss
Ila C. Deiss has served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of California since September 2026. She previously served as an immigration judge and an assistant United States attorney in the Northern District of California. She earned her law degree from the City University of New York School of Law.
Judge Deiss's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Deiss, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Conferences
Trial counsel must appear personally at scheduling and settlement conferences.
“Personal appearances by trial counsel are required for scheduling and settlement conferences.”
Conferences
A request to appear remotely must be filed on the docket at least seven days before the hearing.
“Requests for remote appearances shall be filed on the docket at least seven days prior to the scheduled hearing.”
Conferences
Without approved remote appearance, parties must attend scheduled hearings in person in Redding.
“Absent approval of a request for remote appearance, parties shall appear for scheduled hearings in person in Redding, California.”
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 9, 2026).
How Judge Deiss decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In one immigration-detention case, Deiss recommended lasting relief because release under a preliminary injunction did not prevent renewed detention without notice and a hearing.
“the pending petition is not moot.”
In Wilks, Deiss remanded a Social Security appeal because the agency had not evaluated whether earlier medical opinions supported a closed period of disability before the claimant improved.
“the ALJ failed to assess whether the early medical opinions established a valid period of disability prior to subsequent improvement”
Procedural preferences
In an immigration-detention petition, Deiss addressed the constitutional claim without requiring an administrative hearing that could not decide it.
“the undersigned recommends that prudential exhaustion not be imposed.”
She directed parties in a discovery dispute to confer and use an informal conference before filing another formal motion.
“she must first request an informal discovery conference”
At screening in Washington, Deiss identified a viable confinement-conditions claim, explained why other claims were deficient, and gave the plaintiff thirty days to file an amended complaint before recommending dismissal of those claims.
“Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff may file a first amended complaint within 30 days of the date of service of this order.”
In Price, Deiss denied three leave-to-amend motions as unnecessary because no answer or Rule 12(b) motion had been filed, and set a deadline for the amended complaint.
“Plaintiff’s current motions for leave to further amend are unnecessary because no answer or motion under Rule 12(b) has been filed in response to the first amended complaint.”
Cautions
In one detention case she recommended denial without prejudice because the confinement had lasted less than six months; the recommendation left a later petition possible.
“Petitioner has been in detention since March 18, 2026, which is less than six months.”
In Sermeno, Deiss recommended denying preliminary relief after finding that the applicant’s delay undercut the claim of urgent harm.
“Plaintiff fails to meet his burden because of his delay in seeking the injunction.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The petition for a writ of habeas corpus (ECF No. 1) be GRANTED;”
“The petition for writ of habeas corpus (ECF No. 1), be DENIED WITHOUT”
“No. 17), be DENIED AS MOOT.”
“this action be dismissed, without prejudice, for lack”
“DENIED AS MOOT.”
“Plaintiff’s motion for leave to amend, ECF No. 35, is DENIED.”
“are resolved informally.”
“is denied without prejudice.”
“Plaintiff’s motion for an extension of time, ECF No. 10, is granted.”
“Plaintiff’s request, ECF No. 3, is granted”
“The petition for writ of habeas corpus (ECF No. 1), be GRANTED;”
“Plaintiff’s motion is denied”
“Plaintiff’s motion for an extension of time, ECF No. 33, is granted.”
“Plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis, ECF No. 2, is granted;”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 3.0 days (N = 6).
The nine selected new assignments included three prisoner civil-rights cases, four Social Security reviews, and two other civil actions. All nine were pending. This short assignment window does not show a mature caseload.
How long civil cases take in this court
For the whole of United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, not for Judge Deiss: 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 | 2,984 | 8.1 months |
| Closed with no court action | 1,029 | 5.5 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 1,899 | 9.1 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 36 | 29.9 months |
| Closed during trial | 20 | 50.5 months |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 2,984 | 8.1 months |
| Sep 2024 | 2,575 | 9.2 months |
| Sep 2023 | 2,528 | 10.5 months |
| Sep 2022 | 2,624 | 11.2 months |
| Sep 2021 | 2,316 | 9.9 months |
| Sep 2020 | 2,319 | 9.2 months |
| Sep 2019 | 2,562 | 10.3 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).
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