Michael J. Reagan
How Judge Reagan rules, drawn from 6 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Reagan no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Reagan
Michael Joseph Reagan was a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Appointed by President William J. Clinton, Judge Reagan received a commission on October 13, 2000. Judge Reagan retired on March 31, 2019.
How Judge Reagan decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Green v. Quick, Reagan denied private defendants’ motion to dismiss a § 1983 conspiracy claim because the complaint plausibly alleged they worked with a sheriff and county attorney to deprive the plaintiff of child custody.
“Plaintiff’s allegations are on all-fours with Brokaw because she alleged that the Howsers conspired with Quick and Adams (a sheriff and a county attorney) to deprive her of custody of her child. ... the allegations are not too vague to imagine how jurisdiction exists over the parties.”
Procedural preferences
In Monson v. Nwaobasi, Reagan adopted an unopposed magistrate recommendation after a Pavey hearing, granted summary judgment on PLRA exhaustion, and dismissed the prisoner’s claim without prejudice.
“The period in which such objections may be filed has expired, so pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) this Court need not conduct de novo review. ... ADOPTS Magistrate Judge Williams’ Report and Recommendation (Doc. 33) in its entirety and GRANTS Nwaobasi’s motion for summary judgment”
In Coleman v. East St. Louis School District No. 189, he granted postjudgment relief under Rule 60(b)(6) and vacated summary judgment after school records showed two years of principal service despite an earlier affidavit suggesting only one. He described the grant as a stretch justified by judicial economy and the correct result.
“While considering it to be a stretch to grant Coleman’s motion under 60(b)(6), the Court is willing to make that stretch because it serves judicial efficiency and economy as well as obtaining what the Court perceives to be a correct result.”
Cautions
In Cooper's prisoner civil-rights case, Reagan adopted the recommendation that three pork-containing meals out of 810 did not substantially burden religious exercise. He also rejected a retaliation theory that did not show deterrence from filing grievances and required personal involvement for supervisory liability.
“De minimis burdens on the free exercise of religion, such as denial of a pork-free diet on three occasions out of 810 meals, are not of constitutional dimension. ... The second prong of the retaliation claim requires that Plaintiff would likely be deterred from filing grievances ... not that he would likely be deterred from adhering to his religious diet.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss is hereby DENIED.”
“the undersigned District Judge ADOPTS Magistrate Judge Williams’ Report and Recommendation (Doc. 33) in its entirety and GRANTS Nwaobasi’s motion for summary judgment (Doc. 13). Plaintiff’s § 1983 claim against Defendant Nwaobasi is DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“the Court DENIES Chase’s motion to voluntarily dismiss its claim against the United States and remand to state court (Doc. 21).”
“Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 138) Is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART”
“the Court ADOPTS in its entirety the Report and Recommendation (Doc. 122). ... All claims against Defendants Seip and Martin are DISMISSED with prejudice for failure to exhaust administrative remedies regarding the contents of those claims”
“the Court GRANTS Plaintiff Sheryl Coleman’s motion for relief from judgment (Doc. 32) and VACATES the September 19, 2008, grant of summary judgment entered against Coleman.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 29.5 days (N = 2).
A representative caseload mix and reliable case-duration median could not be computed because Reagan's merits docket was reassigned after his 2019 retirement, leaving the available name-matched cases dominated by unrelated closed administrative matters. His written work reflects a general civil and criminal docket with a substantial prisoner civil-rights component.
A historical record
Judge Reagan 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.