Steven E. Rau
Judge Rau no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Rau decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Social Security appeals, recommends granting the Commissioner's summary-judgment motion and affirming the denial of benefits where the ALJ's findings are supported by the record.
“Defendant Commissioner's Motion for Summary Judgment [Docket No. 17] is GRANTED.”
Procedural preferences
Screens prisoner and pro se complaints before service, recommending dismissal without prejudice of claims that cannot proceed as pleaded.
“This action is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. ... Plaintiff's application to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. No. [2]) is DENIED AS MOOT.”
Cautions
Recommends discovery sanctions, including adverse-inference instructions, against a party that fails to preserve and produce relevant materials.
“Magistrate Judge Steven E. Rau's April 19, 2019 Report and Recommendation (Doc. No. [247) is ADOPTED. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Assist America is sanctioned as follows: ... will give rise to the adverse inference that Assist America's operations manual ... provided insufficient information ...”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Plaintiff Dale William Johnson's Motion for Summary Judgment [Docket No. 11] is DENIED.”
“Defendant Commissioner's Motion for Summary Judgment [Docket No. 17] is GRANTED.”
“JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.'s Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. [17]) is GRANTED;”
“City of Saint Paul, Minnesota's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. [25]) is GRANTED;”
“Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. [10]) is DENIED.”
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. [12]) is GRANTED.”
“This action is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. ... Plaintiff's application to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. No. [2]) is DENIED AS MOOT.”
“Magistrate Judge Steven E. Rau's April 19, 2019 Report and Recommendation (Doc. No. [247) is ADOPTED. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Assist America is sanctioned as follows: ... will give rise to the adverse inference that Assist America's operations manual ... provided insufficient information ...”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Consent (636(c)) SS and FDCPA cases make Rau the assigned judge and final decision-maker, so the docket record holds his own dispositive rulings -- distinct from his referral R&R work. Consumer-credit cases here mostly settled (e.g. Elliot ended in a 2017-09-12 stipulated dismissal with prejudice), leaving no contested dispositive motion.
A historical record
Judge Rau no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.