Robert M. Illman
How Judge Illman decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
As a 636(c) consent judge in Social Security appeals he reverses agency denials and remands, sometimes for immediate calculation of benefits under the credit-as-true rule, where the ALJ's findings are unsupported by substantial evidence, and is skeptical of mechanical agency reasoning like the POMS loan/gift analysis.
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is REVERSED, and this case is REMANDED for the immediate calculation and award of back-pay benefits. A separate judgment shall issue.”
Procedural preferences
Recommends dismissing an improper notice of removal (e.g. a removed state criminal case) and remanding to state court.
“The Court has carefully reviewed Magistrate Judge Robert M. Illman's Report and Recommendation (Dkt. No. 8 ('Report')) recommending that the notice of removal (Dkt. No. 1) be dismissed and the action be remanded to the Lake County Superior Court. No party filed an objection. The Court finds the Report correct, well-reasoned, and thorough, and adopts it in every respect.”
Cautions
In default-judgment matters proper service is scrutinized: a recommended default can be deferred pending a showing that a sole proprietorship was served under the correct individual-service rules rather than entity-service provisions.
“Presently before the Court is a Report and Recommendation ('R&R') on Plaintiffs' motion for default judgment prepared by Magistrate Judge Robert M. Illman (the 'Magistrate'). ... the Court hereby defers full consideration of the R&R and directs Plaintiffs to show cause why the motion for default judgment should not be denied and the entry of default set aside to permit amendment of the complaint and proper service of summons. ... In this case, service on Foot Traffic Shoes was not in accord with the standards applicable to individuals.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Court has carefully reviewed Magistrate Judge Robert M. Illman's Report and Recommendation (Dkt. No. 8 ('Report')) recommending that the notice of removal (Dkt. No. 1) be dismissed and the action be remanded to the Lake County Superior Court. No party filed an objection. The Court finds the Report correct, well-reasoned, and thorough, and adopts it in every respect.”
“Presently before the Court is a Report and Recommendation ('R&R') on Plaintiffs' motion for default judgment prepared by Magistrate Judge Robert M. Illman (the 'Magistrate'). ... the Court hereby defers full consideration of the R&R and directs Plaintiffs to show cause why the motion for default judgment should not be denied and the entry of default set aside to permit amendment of the complaint and proper service of summons. ... In this case, service on Foot Traffic Shoes was not in accord with the standards applicable to individuals.”
“Both parties have consented to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge (dkts. 4, 9) and both parties have moved for summary judgment ... For the reasons stated below, Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment is granted, and Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment is denied. ... This case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this order.”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment is granted, and Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment is denied.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security is REVERSED, and this case is REMANDED for the immediate calculation and award of back-pay benefits. A separate judgment shall issue.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
As the resident North Coast magistrate judge, Illman handles a broad directly assigned caseload dominated by Social Security disability appeals, alongside civil-rights, disability-employment, federal tort and personal-injury, labor and employee-benefit, False Claims Act, and copyright matters. The durations measure filing to termination, not motion-to-ruling time.
Put Judge Illman's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Illman actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Illman's own signed orders and cites them.