Robert M. Spector
How Judge Spector rules, drawn from 11 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Spector
Robert M. Spector has served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Connecticut since May 2018. He earned his law degree from Yale Law School and previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in New Haven.
Judge Spector's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Spector, 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
Filing
Do not send courtesy copies of electronically filed pleadings or motions.
“Judge Spector does not accept courtesy copies of any pleading or motion filed electronically.”
Motions
Request leave by motion before filing a sur-reply.
“sur-reply briefs may not be filed without prior permission of the Court upon a request by motion.”
Motions
If oral argument is needed, request it in a letter accompanying the motion.
“that party should request oral argument in a letter accompanying the motion.”
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 Spector decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Nehemiah W. v. Bisignano, he remanded a disability decision because the record lacked a medical opinion accounting for the claimant’s worsening back pain and needed further development.
“The plaintiff's motion for an order reversing or remanding the Commissioner's decision (Doc. No. 18) is GRANTED and the Commissioner's motion to affirm that decision (Doc. No. 24) is DENIED.”
In Monique V. v. Bisignano, he remanded after finding the ALJ had not properly analyzed supportability and consistency for non-treating consultants, and directed a specific evidence-based reassessment of treating-provider opinions.
“On remand, the ALJ should re-assess the opinions of the treating providers and properly explain—with citations to, and discussions about, the specific medical evidence—the supportability and consistency factors, as set forth above.”
Procedural preferences
In Eugene C. v. Kijakazi, Spector recommended granting counsel $17,680.50 in section 406(b) fees and requiring counsel to refund the $11,622.85 already received under the EAJA to the claimant.
“the Court recommends that Counsel’s Motion for Attorney’s Fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1) be GRANTED in the amount of $17,680.50 and that counsel be ordered to refund the $11,622.85 he received under the EAJA to the plaintiff.”
Cautions
In Raleigh v. Baribault, Spector denied two motions to compel in full, allowed a limited forensic examination on a third, and ordered a filing sealed after noticing it exposed personal identifiers.
“all motions are DENIED with one exception: the plaintiff's Motion to Compel ESI (Doc. No. 181) is GRANTED for the limited purpose of Robert Fitzpatrick conducting a forensics examination”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The plaintiff's motion for an order reversing or remanding the Commissioner's decision (Doc. No. 18) is GRANTED and the Commissioner's motion to affirm that decision (Doc. No. 24) is DENIED.”
“The plaintiff's motion for an order reversing or remanding the Commissioner's decision (Doc. No. 18) is DENIED. The Commissioner's motion to affirm that decision (Doc. No. 20) is GRANTED.”
“The plaintiff's motion for an order reversing or remanding the Commissioner's decision (Doc. No. 20) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART for further consideration of the effect of the plaintiff's mental impairment on the RFC. The Commissioner's motion to affirm that decision (Doc. No. 22) is DENIED.”
“the Court recommends that Counsel’s Motion for Attorney’s Fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1) be GRANTED in the amount of $17,680.50 and that counsel be ordered to refund the $11,622.85 he received under the EAJA to the plaintiff.”
“all motions are DENIED with one exception: the plaintiff's Motion to Compel ESI (Doc. No. 181) is GRANTED for the limited purpose of Robert Fitzpatrick conducting a forensics examination”
“For the aforementioned reasons, the Court DENIES the plaintiff's Mot[ions to Compel] (Doc. Nos. 182 & 194)”
“the Court GRANTS the Motion to Amend the Complaint (Doc. No. 18) on the ground that the plaintiff is entitled to amend his complaint as a matter of course”
“Count II should be dismissed without prejudice and with leave to amend as to Kimberly Natoli in her individual capacity. Lastly, the Court recommends that Count V be dismissed with prejudice as to President Trump, DCF, and Kimberly Natoli in her official capacity, because these defendants are immune from suit”
“the Court finds that the defendant’s motion to compel the Willkie Farr Emails is GRANTED.”
“The plaintiff’s motion for an order remanding the Commissioner’s decision (Doc. No. 17) is GRANTED and the Commissioner’s motion to affirm that decision (Doc. No. 19) is DENIED.”
“The plaintiff’s motion for an order reversing or remanding the Commissioner’s decision (Doc. No. 21) is DENIED, and the Commissioner’s motion to affirm that decision (Doc. No. 26) is GRANTED.”
“the Court GRANTS the plaintiff’s motion to discharge appointed pro bono counsel.”
“The Court DENIES the plaintiff’s motion for a writ of habeas corpus compelling his physical presence at the evidentiary hearing on exhaustion.”
“Counsel’s Motion for Allowance of Attorney’s Fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b) (Doc. No. 33) is GRANTED in the amount of $33,472.50”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
His docket combines criminal-duty matters with a substantial consent civil docket dominated by Social Security appeals. His non-Social-Security work also includes referred discovery and property or contract disputes.
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 | 0 |
| 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 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.
How long civil cases take in this court
For the whole of U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, not for Judge Spector: 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 | 1,471 | 6.9 months |
| Closed with no court action | 227 | 3 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 833 | 5.6 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 401 | 13.8 months |
| Closed during trial | 10 | 36.4 months |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 1,471 | 6.9 months |
| Sep 2024 | 1,501 | 8.1 months |
| Sep 2023 | 1,468 | 8.4 months |
| Sep 2022 | 1,598 | 9 months |
| Sep 2021 | 1,456 | 8.9 months |
| Sep 2020 | 1,683 | 9.2 months |
| Sep 2019 | 1,877 | 9.2 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 Spector with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Spector, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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