Christopher L. Ray
How Judge Ray rules, drawn from 4 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Ray decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In a medical-malpractice case where the parties had consented to his full authority, Ray excluded two of the plaintiff's expert witnesses from testifying about the applicable standard of care after the defense challenged their qualifications, rather than letting a jury sort out the dispute.
“ORDER granting Defendant Gregory T. Peters, M.D.'s 87 Motion to Exclude Drs. Steve Braunstein and Aaron Pederson's Opinions on Standard of Care.”
Faced with a pro se prisoner's complaint spanning claims from several facilities in two federal districts, Ray dismissed the one time-barred claim connected to this district as unrelated to the rest and sent the remaining claims to the district where they actually arose, rather than letting an unrelated claim ride along.
“the Court RECOMMENDS that plaintiff's claim related to inadequate medical care—specifically, the denial of his use of a cane—while at Georgia State Prison be DISMISSED and that the remaining claims be TRANSFERRED to the Middle District of Georgia.”
Found personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state tele-radiologist who obtained a Georgia license, repeatedly interpreted scans for Georgia facilities, and sent the disputed report into the state for use in patient care.
“Peters purposefully availed himself of the privileges of practicing medicine in this state; he is now subject to suit here.”
Procedural preferences
On the consent Social Security docket he decides directly, Ray grants a quick remand when the Commissioner itself moves for one, but otherwise reaches a full merits decision (affirming or remanding under sentence four) rather than a shortcut disposition.
“ORDER granting Defendant's 23 Motion to Remand this case to the Commissioner of Social Security.”
When a pro se litigant's complaint fails to state a claim even after being given more than one chance to amend, Ray recommends dismissal without leave to amend further rather than allowing repeated do-overs.
“REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS dismissing without prejudice and without leave to amend re 8 Amended Complaint filed by Todd McElroy.”
Cautions
Ray moves quickly and directly, without a report and recommendation, to dismiss a pro se plaintiff's case once the record shows the plaintiff misrepresented his inability to pay the filing fee and then failed to prosecute the case.
“ORDER dismissing Plaintiff's 1 Complaint due to the allegation of poverty was untrue, his failure to obey a court order, and failed to prosecute his case.”
In prisoner civil-rights cases he screens directly, Ray denies motions to appoint counsel while still giving the plaintiff a further chance to fix pleading defects, keeping the burden of litigating on the plaintiff rather than easing it with appointed counsel.
“ORDER denying 9 Motion to Appoint Counsel; denying as moot 13 Motion for Response; and denying 15 Motion for Copy of Local Rules.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Court RECOMMENDS that plaintiff's claim related to inadequate medical care—specifically, the denial of his use of a cane—while at Georgia State Prison be DISMISSED and that the remaining claims be TRANSFERRED to the Middle District of Georgia.”
“This Court may exercise personal jurisdiction over Defendant Peters under the Georgia Long-Arm Statute, O.C.G.A. § 9-10-91, and the exercise of that jurisdiction does not offend his due process. Therefore, his Motion to Dismiss is DENIED. Doc. 26.”
“For the foregoing reasons, to the extent Dr. Peters seeks to exclude Dr. Braunstein and Dr. Pederson’s opinions that Dr. Peters breached the standard of care, the motion is GRANTED. Doc. 87. To the extent it seeks to exclude their opinions about the conspicuity and general observability of the lesion, it is GRANTED. Doc. 87.”
“The Commissioner’s final decision is supported by substantial evidence in the record. For the reasons articulated above, the final decision of the Commissioner is AFFIRMED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 41 days (N = 8).
- Ray is the referral magistrate for most civil and criminal cases assigned to Chief/District Judge R.
- Stan Baker in the Savannah Division: Rule 26(f) scheduling, discovery disputes, and non-dispositive motions are almost always his, and dispositive motions in prisoner, pro se, and habeas cases typically reach the district judge only after Ray issues a report and recommendation.
- His own directly-assigned docket, mostly by consent under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), is dominated by Social Security disability appeals, with occasional full civil cases (including at least one medical-malpractice suit) the parties designate him to preside over from filing to judgment.
- He also handles duty-magistrate criminal matters, initial appearances, arraignments, detention determinations, and pretrial scheduling, on cases later tried before the district judge.
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