M. Stephen Hyles
How Judge Hyles rules, drawn from 12 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Hyles no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Hyles
M. Stephen Hyles served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Georgia from July 2010 until his retirement in June 2024. Before joining the federal bench, he practiced criminal defense law and served as a municipal court judge in Columbus, Georgia. He earned degrees from the University of Georgia and its law school.
How Judge Hyles decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In a consent Social Security appeal, the judge remanded after finding the ALJ had disregarded a treating physician's later clinical statements without good cause, and was openly skeptical of the agency's inconsistent handling of overlapping disability applications.
“This case illustrates the familiar adage that sometimes the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.”
In Dailey v. Fleming, Hyles recommended summary judgment for prison officials because the plaintiff had not shown they knew of a substantial risk from the inmates who later attacked him.
“Even assuming Dailey could show the other elements of deliberate indifference, he has failed to show Defendants were subjectively aware of a substantial risk posed by Ellis and Murdock.”
Procedural preferences
In Hunter v. Lawson, Hyles recommended dismissal without prejudice after finding that Hunter had failed to disclose his prior litigation history on the prisoner complaint form.
“Plaintiff’s complaint is subject to sua sponte dismissal without prejudice for failure to disclose his litigation history. It is thus RECOMMENDED that Plaintiff’s complaint be DISMISSED for abuse of the judicial process and therefore malicious under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1).”
At screening in Ramey, Hyles allowed claims against the unidentified classification committee members to proceed while recommending dismissal without prejudice of the separate claim against a John Doe investigator.
“It is, however, RECOMMENDED that Plaintiff’s claims against John Doe Investigator be DISMISSED without prejudice.”
Cautions
In Pitts v. Judge Arthur L. Smith III, he recommended dismissing a sovereign-citizen theory as frivolous, citing decisions that had rejected that legal theory.
“The sovereign citizen approach is a frivolous legal theory that has been consistently rejected by federal courts.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“It is therefore recommended that Respondents’ Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 7) be granted and Petitioner’s application for habeas corpus relief (ECF No. 1) be dismissed.”
“Consequently, the Court recommends dismissal of Plaintiff's Complaint with prejudice pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 41(b). It is recommended that Defendant Willis's motion (ECF No. 28) be granted and Plaintiff's Complaint be dismissed as to all Defendants.”
“Defendant Carson's motion to dismiss should be terminated as moot.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court RECOMMENDS that Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment (ECF No. 31) be DENIED, and Defendants' motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 41) be GRANTED.”
“Consequently, the Court RECOMMENDS that Respondents’ motion to dismiss (ECF No. 15) be GRANTED and Petitioner’s application for habeas corpus relief (ECF No. 1) be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE to his right to file a new § 2241 petition in the future if a change in his circumstances occurs.”
“Plaintiff's complaint is subject to sua sponte dismissal without prejudice for failure to disclose his litigation history. It is thus RECOMMENDED that Plaintiff's complaint be DISMISSED for abuse of the judicial process and therefore malicious under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1).”
“For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiff's claims are frivolous or fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. It is therefore RECOMMENDED that Plaintiff's Complaint be DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“Plaintiff's due process claims against Defendants Otis Stanton, Warden Toby, Homer Bryson, Warden Caldwell, and the members of the Hancock State Prison Tier II Classification Committee must proceed for further factual development. It is, however, RECOMMENDED that Plaintiff's claims against John Doe Investigator be DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“For the reasons stated above, the determination of the Social Security Commissioner is affirmed.”
“WHEREFORE, for the foregoing reasons, it is ORDERED that the case is REMANDED to the Social Security Commissioner for proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
“For the reasons explained above, it is recommended that Defendants' motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 56) be granted.”
“Consequently, it is RECOMMENDED that this claim be DENIED and, for the reasons explained above, it is RECOMMENDED that Bonner's petition for writ of habeas corpus be DENIED.”
“Bonner's ‘Motion to Dismiss Indictment Based on Double Jeopardy Grounds,’ ECF No. 15, is DENIED.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court recommends that Petitioner's motion to vacate (ECF No 129) and supplement thereto (ECF No. 142) be denied. Additionally, a certificate of appealability should be denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Sampled dockets were dominated by consent Social Security disability appeals (28 U.S.C. 636(c)), plus immigration and state habeas corpus petitions and prisoner civil-rights matters typical of a Columbus-division magistrate's referral docket.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Hyles was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of September 30, 2024.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 0 |
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 Hyles 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.