Jonathan James Canada Grey
How Judge Grey rules, drawn from 32 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Grey
Jonathan James Canada Grey is a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Appointed by President Joseph R. Biden, Judge Grey received a commission on March 9, 2023.
Judge Grey's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Grey, 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
Filing
Parties must file a Proposed Order along with any Stipulation.
“Parties must file a Proposed Order along with any Stipulation.”
Motions
If a motion, response, or reply (including exhibits) totals more than 20 pages, a courtesy copy of the motion and exhibits shall be provided to the Court's Chambers, either by hand delivery or by mail within five days of the date it was electronically filed.
“If a motion, response, or reply (including exhibits) totals more than 20 pages, a courtesy copy of the motion and exhibits shall be provided to the Court's Chambers, either by hand delivery or by mail within five days of the date it was electronically filed.”
Trial
However, no later than one week before the final pretrial conference, each party shall make available for inspection all exhibits which that party will introduce at trial.
“However, no later than one week before the final pretrial conference, each party shall make available for inspection all exhibits which that party will introduce at trial.”
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 Grey decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Escoe’s prisoner case, Grey denied a combined dismissal and summary-judgment motion as moot after dismissing the case for failure to prosecute.
“defendants’ motion to dismiss and for summary judgment (ECF No. 20) is DENIED AS MOOT. ... this cause of action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
In Bloom’s business dispute, Grey allowed Holdco’s fraud counterclaim to survive because it pleaded conduct beyond nonperformance of the purchase agreement.
“Holdco has pleaded enough to maintain that its fraud claims are not simply claims arising from nonperformance of the SPA”
Procedural preferences
In Flakes’s multi-defendant summary-judgment case, Grey granted the motion for some defendants and denied it for others based on the record for each.
“the MDOC Defendants’ motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 32) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART ... GRANTED as to Flakes’ claims against Adams, Bugbee, Cooper, Grossett, Parsons, Ramirez, and Vandecasteele, and DENIED as to Flakes’ claims against Horvath and Reed.”
Cautions
In Casey’s prisoner case, Grey adopted the magistrate judge’s reports, granted Reed’s summary-judgment motion, and dismissed the claims against Reed without prejudice.
“The Court GRANTS Reed’s motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 46.) The Court DISMISSES WITHOUT PREJUDICE Casey’s claims against Reed.”
In Brock’s stay request, Grey required evidence that the defendant could pay the money judgment before considering a stay without bond security.
“Clary has provided no evidence that either he or the City is able to satisfy the judgment.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“defendants’ motion to dismiss and for summary judgment (ECF No. 20) is DENIED AS MOOT. ... this cause of action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“The Court GRANTS Reed’s motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 46.) The Court DISMISSES WITHOUT PREJUDICE Casey’s claims against Reed.”
“GM’s motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 44) is GRANTED. ... this cause of action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“the MDOC Defendants’ motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 32) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART ... GRANTED as to Flakes’ claims against Adams, Bugbee, Cooper, Grossett, Parsons, Ramirez, and Vandecasteele, and DENIED as to Flakes’ claims against Horvath and Reed.”
“Russell’s motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 34) is GRANTED.”
“Darrough’s motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 26) is GRANTED. ... this cause of action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“motion to dismiss (ECF No. 42) is GRANTED.”
“the Court finds that no reasonable jury could find that there was a foreseeable risk of the injury Ranney suffered.”
“is DENIED, as an amendment would be futile.”
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this case SHALL BE REMANDED to the Wayne County Circuit Court.”
“the pending motion to dismiss and pending motion to stay (ECF Nos. 4, 7) are DENIED AS MOOT due to lack of original jurisdiction.”
“defendant Grand Prairie Healthcare Services is DISMISSED from this cause of action.”
“the motion to suppress (ECF No. 46) is DENIED where the Court finds that Defendant Phillips lacks standing”
“the Court GRANTS the motion to dismiss (ECF No. 8) and DISMISSES the petition for writ of habeas corpus.”
After granting pauper status, Grey screened the pro se complaint and dismissed it without prejudice as frivolous and barred by the Rooker-Feldman and Younger doctrines. The order stated: "IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this cause of action is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE and shall be designated as CLOSED on the docket."
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
- The reviewed matters filed since Judge Grey's March 2023 commission reflect a broad civil docket that includes prisoner civil rights, disability and employment discrimination, employee benefits, wage-and-hour, debt-collection, insurance, Social Security, federal tort, motor-vehicle, racketeering, and real-property cases.
- His duty assignments also include civil-forfeiture and warrant matters, which are not treated as merits cases.
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 | 21 |
| 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 | 10 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 21 | 10 |
| Sep 2025 | 9 | 8 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 5 |
| Sep 2024 | 1 | 2 |
| Mar 2024 | 10 | 2 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 2 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2021 | 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.
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 Grey: 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 Grey with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Grey, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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