Robert J. White
How Judge White rules, drawn from 37 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge White
Robert Jerome White is a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Appointed by President Joseph R. Biden, Judge White received a commission on April 15, 2024.
Judge White's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge White, 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.
- Practice Guidelines ↗
- Example Scheduling Order ↗
- Facilitative Mediation Order ↗
- Brief Format Certification Form ↗
- Case Management Requirements ↗
- Joint Discovery Plan Template ↗
- Example Criminal Scheduling Order and Trial Notice ↗
- Example Scheduling Order for Preliminary Injunctions ↗
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Opposing counsel should be copied on any correspondence to the Court.
“Opposing counsel should be copied on any correspondence to the Court.”
Contacting chambers
If the parties are submitting a request to adjourn a date (e.g., to move the date or time of a hearing), the parties should first confer, and then send a single email, and include any agreed dates that work for all parties.
“If the parties are submitting a request to adjourn a date (e.g., to move the date or time of a hearing), the parties should first confer, and then send a single email, and include any agreed dates that work for all parties.”
Motions
Parties must notify the case manager by telephone (313-234-5180) upon filing a motion for a temporary restraining order.
“Parties must notify the case manager by telephone (313-234-5180) upon filing a motion for a temporary restraining order.”
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 White decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Nair v. Delta Air Lines, White granted the carrier summary judgment because the Montreal Convention supplied the exclusive remedy for the international-flight injury claim and its two-year period had expired.
“IT IS ORDERED that Delta's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 6) is granted.”
Procedural preferences
In Davis-Hussung v. Logan, White adopted the magistrate judge’s recommendation and granted an officer summary judgment on the prisoner’s unexhausted claim.
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Corrections Officer Goldsmith's motion for summary judgment on the basis of exhaustion (ECF No. 16) is granted.”
In Rush v. United Wholesale Mortgage, White granted the employer’s motion to compel arbitration because the employee offered little evidence that the agreement was invalid.
“For the reasons given, the Court ORDERS that the motion to dismiss and compel arbitration (ECF No. 8) is GRANTED.”
In Apelbaum v. Lambert, White denied default judgment without prejudice while claims against an answering defendant remained, to avoid inconsistent judgments under Frow.
“IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiffs' motion for a default judgment (ECF No. 17) is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
Cautions
In Prince v. State of Michigan, White dismissed the claims against the State with prejudice after finding sovereign immunity and that the State was not a suable person under Section 1983.
“IT IS ORDERED that State's motion to dismiss the complaint (ECF No. 15) is granted with prejudice.”
In Doe, the court dismissed a federal prisoner’s Bivens failure-to-protect claim as a new context not recognized by the Supreme Court’s core cases, while staying another claim pending further Supreme Court review. Frame such claims against the existing Bivens contexts.
“None of the three central Bivens cases assign Eighth Amendment liability to prison officials who fail to protect inmates from being assaulted by other inmates.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“IT IS ORDERED that Delta's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 6) is granted.”
“the Court ORDERS that the motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 21) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiffs' motion for a default judgment (ECF No. 17) is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Corrections Officer Goldsmith's motion for summary judgment on the basis of exhaustion (ECF No. 16) is granted.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 14) is DENIED.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Defendant's motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 16) is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Administrative Law Judge's final decision is AFFIRMED.”
“IT IS ORDERED that State's motion to dismiss the complaint (ECF No. 15) is granted with prejudice.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Prince's motion for leave to amend the complaint (ECF No. 16) is denied.”
“For the reasons given, the Court ORDERS that Defendant's motion to dismiss (ECF No. 13) is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff's amended complaint (ECF No. 6) is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Brink's motion to dismiss the asserted counterclaims (ECF No. 15) is denied as moot.”
“The Court FURTHER ORDERS that Defendants' motion to dismiss (ECF No. 17) is GRANTED.”
“The Court FURTHER ORDERS that Engle's motion to file supplemental pleading (ECF No. 37), his motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 53), and his motion for leave to file an amended complaint (ECF No. 56) are DENIED.”
“For the above reasons, IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff's motion for leave to amend the complaint (ECF No. 25) is GRANTED.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Defendants' motions to dismiss (ECF Nos. 20, 21) are DENIED AS MOOT and without prejudice for renewal.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Poronto's motion for leave to file a second amended complaint to add the Wellpath Liquidating Trust and its trustee, Matthew J. Dundon, as nominal defendants (ECF No. 41) is granted.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Circle K's motion to dismiss the amended complaint's allegations against the company (ECF No. 4) is denied.”
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 | 54 |
| Bench trials submitted more than six months | 0 |
| Bankruptcy appeals pending more than six months | 1 |
| Social Security appeals pending more than six months | 1 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 10 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 54 | 10 |
| Sep 2025 | 15 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 30 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 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 White: 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 White with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge White, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Grounded in Judge White's own signed orders
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace