Taylor B. McNeel
How Judge McNeel decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
On an emergency TRO in an NCAA-eligibility antitrust case, the judge measured the plaintiff's showing of irreparable harm against a comparable case from another circuit, focusing on concrete, provable stakes (playing time, a starting role, specific NIL income) rather than accepting general assertions of harm.
“Wade does not even list which position on the basketball court he plays, much less what specific amount of NIL income that he is potentially missing out on. Absent more, the Court cannot see how an ex parte temporary restraining order would be necessary to change the status quo.”
The judge treats delay by the plaintiff in seeking emergency relief as working against a TRO, even when the plaintiff argues the delay was needed to first exhaust an internal appeals process with a private organization.
“Wade does not put forward any law that requires a plaintiff to exhaust the administrative remedies of the NCAA (a non-governmental entity) as a prerequisite to bring an antitrust suit. ... But he waited until this late date.”
Procedural preferences
The judge frames an ex parte TRO request as an attempt to change, not preserve, the status quo whenever the plaintiff is seeking to block a policy or rule that had already taken effect -- a framing that raises the bar for granting the motion.
“Rather than protecting the status quo, Wade's motion for temporary restraining order seeks to establish it.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that, for the reasons stated on the record at the hearing held on May 19, 2023, Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order [2] is DENIED.”
“Wade's request for an ex parte temporary restraining order is denied. That motion is taken under advisement in all other respects.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that this matter is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. This CASE is CLOSED.”
“This civil action is dismissed without prejudice for failure to obey the Court's Orders and to prosecute.”
“IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that this civil action is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE as frivolous and for failure to state a claim under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(i)-(ii).”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that, for the reasons stated on the record at the hearing held on November 3, 2022, Melissa N. Rayborn's Motion to Remand [6] is DENIED.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the claims asserted in Aaron Paul McLendon's Complaint [1] are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE to their being asserted again until the conditions set forth in Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477 (1994), are met.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Respondent's Motion to Dismiss [14] is GRANTED. ... IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus [1] filed by Candra Beth Clark is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Petitioner's Motion for Preliminary Injunction [19] is DENIED.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Defendant's Motion to Dismiss [14] is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that this CASE is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Willard's 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claims are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that this civil action is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for failure to obey the Court's Orders.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that, for the reasons stated on the record at the hearing held on October 4, 2022, Gulfport's Motion to Dismiss [10] is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that, for the reasons stated on the record at the hearing held on October 4, 2022, Gulfport's Motion to Quash [20] is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
His general docket in the Gulfport/Hattiesburg divisions includes personal-injury removals, civil-rights and employment claims, prisoner habeas petitions, contract and insurance disputes, and criminal cases; he also handles emergency motions referred to him under the court's internal reassignment rule when the regularly assigned judge is unavailable.
Put Judge McNeel's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge McNeel actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge McNeel's own signed orders and cites them.