Anthony P. Patti
How Judge Patti rules, drawn from 15 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Patti
Anthony P. Patti has served as a United States magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Michigan since January 2015. He sits in Detroit and previously practiced employment and labor law.
Judge Patti's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Patti, as published on the court's website (checked October 8, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Motions
If the conference cannot reasonably be held, then the moving party must inform all opposing parties or counsel by letter, prior to filing a motion, that the moving party intends to seek relief from the Court.
“If the conference cannot reasonably be held, then the moving party must inform all opposing parties or counsel by letter, prior to filing a motion, that the moving party intends to seek relief from the Court.”
Motions
The moving party must file the entire proposed amended pleading as an attachment to any motion under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15.
“The moving party must file the entire proposed amended pleading as an attachment to any motion under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15.”
Conferences
Each party, together with its lead trial counsel or counsel of record who have primary responsibility for discovery, must attend the conference unless expressly excused by the Court.
“Each party, together with its lead trial counsel or counsel of record who have primary responsibility for discovery, must attend the conference unless expressly excused by the Court.”
Sealing
Only the portion of the document(s) which is not to be publically disclosed may be filed under seal.
“Only the portion of the document(s) which is not to be publically disclosed may be filed under seal.”
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 8, 2026).
- Procedures for Access, Service, and Management of Sealed Documents ↗
- Procedures for the Filing, Service and Management of Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
- Standing Order for Discovery and Inspection and Fixing Motion Cut-Off Date in Criminal Cases ↗
- Pro Se Filings (Revised & Amended) ↗
- Filing a New Civil Case or Civil Initiating Papers Under Seal ↗
How Judge Patti decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Arabo v. Commissioner of Social Security, Patti recommended granting the claimant's summary-judgment motion and remanding the Social Security appeal; the district judge adopted the recommendation.
“proposing that the court grant Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment... Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 10) is GRANTED”
Procedural preferences
In Young v. Jindal, Patti recommended denying a prisoner's late motion for judgment on the pleadings as untimely and unsupported.
“The Court should DENY Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings. (ECF No. 119.)”
In one case, recommended deferring competing dispositive motions until formal international service was completed, despite the defendant having actual notice.
“the Court should DENY WITHOUT PREJUDICE Defendant’s motion to dismiss (ECF No. 21); Plaintiff’s motion to dismiss Defendant’s counterclaims (ECF No. 16); and, Defendant’s Motion for Immediate Relief (ECF No. 40), as all three motions are premature.”
Cautions
In Timmon v. Invest Inself, Patti recommended granting the plaintiff's motion to enforce a settlement agreement and award sanctions and fees; the district judge adopted that recommendation.
“the motion to enforce settlement agreement, impose sanctions and award attorney fees filed by Sonya Timmon (R. 17) is GRANTED”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Judge Patti recommends denying Parr's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 11)... the Court ADOPTS the Report and Recommendation in full”
“Judge Patti recommends... granting the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 13), and affirming the decision of the Commissioner... the Court ADOPTS the Report and Recommendation in full”
“proposing that the court grant Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment... Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 10) is GRANTED”
“deny Defendant's motion for summary judgment, and remand the matter to the Commissioner... the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 12) is DENIED, and this matter is REMANDED”
“the motion to enforce settlement agreement, impose sanctions and award attorney fees filed by Sonya Timmon (R. 17) is GRANTED”
“the Undersigned RECOMMENDS that the Court GRANT Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 16)”
“DENY the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 18), and REMAND this matter to the Commissioner”
“The Court should DENY Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings. (ECF No. 119.)”
“Petitioner's November 7, 2024 motion for award of attorney fee pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b) (ECF No. 12) is GRANTED”
“Defendant's motion to compel (ECF No. 23), is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART.”
“the Court should GRANT Defendants' motion to dismiss.”
“his motion to amend is DENIED.”
“Plaintiff's motion for entry of default (ECF No. 23) is DENIED.”
“Plaintiff's motion to permit early discovery (ECF No. 30) is DENIED.”
“Plaintiff's amended motion to compel discovery (ECF No. 48) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART”
“Plaintiff's motion for a protective order regarding Defendants' notice of deposition (ECF No. 49) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART”
“Defendants' motions to dismiss (ECF Nos. 28 and 66) are DEEMED MOOT and the Clerk of the Court is DIRECTED to ADMINISTRATIVELY TERMINATE THEM WITHOUT RULING AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE”
Patti recommended dismissal with prejudice after the plaintiff failed to file an ordered amended complaint or otherwise prosecute the severed civil-rights action. The recommendation stated: “The Court should DISMISS this lawsuit WITH PREJUDICE for failure to comply with the Court's May 27, 2025 order (ECF No. 42) and/or pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b) and E.D. Mich. LR 41.2 for failure to prosecute.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The reviewed matters reflect cases Judge Patti decided with the parties' consent under 28 U.S.C. section 636(c). The mix is descriptive rather than a complete caseload count.
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 | 1 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 2 |
| Mar 2022 | 1 | 3 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 3 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 1 |
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 Eastern District of Michigan, not for Judge Patti: 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 | 2,926 | 8.3 months |
| Closed with no court action | 410 | 2.9 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 1,246 | 4.1 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 1,252 | 15.3 months |
| Closed during trial | 18 | 35.8 months |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 2,926 | 8.3 months |
| Sep 2024 | 2,615 | 7.9 months |
| Sep 2023 | 2,616 | 8.5 months |
| Sep 2022 | 2,541 | 9.2 months |
| Sep 2021 | 2,405 | 10.2 months |
| Sep 2020 | 2,677 | 9 months |
| Sep 2019 | 3,237 | 8.6 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 Patti with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Patti, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge Patti's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace