Timothy J. Cavan
How Judge Cavan rules, drawn from 2 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Cavan decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Cavan treats absolute judicial immunity as dispositive once the challenged conduct is judicial in nature, and does not require the plaintiff to show the state judge acted correctly: only that she was not acting in the clear absence of all subject-matter jurisdiction.
“[E]ven assuming Judge Gilbert's assumption of jurisdiction was 'in excess of [her] jurisdiction,' the act was not done 'in the clear absence of jurisdiction.'”
Procedural preferences
Cavan gives a pro se plaintiff one chance to cure a deficient complaint with a clear warning of the consequence, but recommends dismissal without further leniency once that deadline passes unused.
“Plaintiffs were specifically advised that, if they failed to respond to the order, the Court would recommend dismissal of the case.”
Cautions
Where dismissal would be futile to cure (e.g., suing an absolutely immune defendant), Cavan recommends dismissal without leave to amend rather than prolonging the case through repeated repleading.
“Where amendment would be futile, there is no reason to prolong litigation by allowing further amendments.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Judge Gilbert's Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 7) be GRANTED, and the Complaint be dismissed with prejudice”
“This action should be DISMISSED as Plaintiffs have failed to state a claim on which relief may be granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 519 days (N = 3).
- Cavan's docket includes a sustained run of consent-track Social Security disability appeals alongside insurance, contract, personal-injury, and civil-rights cases.
- Seventeen Social Security appeals sampled across multiple filing-year cohorts were decided by Cavan under 28 U.S.C. 636(c); most resulted in reversal and remand under sentence four of 42 U.S.C. 405(g), while a minority affirmed the Commissioner's denial of benefits.
- New Social Security and general civil matters remained assigned to him in August 2026.
Draft for Judge Cavan with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Cavan, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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