David E. Peebles
How Judge Peebles rules, drawn from 7 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Peebles no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Peebles
David E. Peebles joined the Northern District of New York as a United States Magistrate Judge in May 2000 and served as Chief Magistrate Judge from 2012 to 2019. He earned an engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law. Before taking the bench, he practiced at Hancock Estabrook in Syracuse; he stepped down from judicial service in 2025.
How Judge Peebles decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In PPC Broadband v. Corning Optical, he recommended granting the motion to enforce judgment except for the request for costs and fees.
“recommends that plaintiff PPC Broadband, Inc.'s motion to enforce judgment, (Dkt. No. 548), be granted with the exception of its request for an award of costs and fees.”
Procedural preferences
In Cleary v. Levi Strauss, he granted the pro se plaintiff leave to proceed in forma pauperis and recommended dismissing the complaint with leave to amend.
“Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles granted Plaintiff's application to proceed IFP and recommended that Plaintiff's complaint be dismissed with leave to amend.”
Cautions
In a prisoner case involving Damien Bruce, he recommended granting the defendants' motion and dismissing Bruce's claims for failure to prosecute.
“United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles' Report-Recommendation recommending that Defendants' motion be granted and Plaintiff Damien Bruce's claims be dismissed.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles recommended that defendants' motion be granted, plaintiffs' federal claims be dismissed, and the court decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state law claims.”
“the Honorable David E. Peebles, United States Magistrate Judge, recommended that the Commissioner's decision denying plaintiff benefits be affirmed and that defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings be granted.”
“recommends that plaintiff PPC Broadband, Inc.'s motion to enforce judgment, (Dkt. No. 548), be granted with the exception of its request for an award of costs and fees.”
“United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles' Report-Recommendation recommending that Defendants' motion be granted and Plaintiff Damien Bruce's claims be dismissed.”
During 28 U.S.C. 1915(e) screening, a pro se plaintiff alleged that a clothing maker stole his patent. Peebles granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis and recommended dismissing the complaint with leave to amend because the submissions did not state a cognizable claim under Rule 8 and Twombly-Iqbal. The recommendation was adopted, and the complaint was dismissed without prejudice with thirty days to file an amended complaint. This screening disposition did not resolve a party motion. Quote: 'Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles granted Plaintiff's application to proceed IFP and recommended that Plaintiff's complaint be dismissed with leave to amend.'
Sua sponte review of a pro se Title VII, Section 1983, and 18 U.S.C. 1702 employment complaint. Peebles recommended dismissal for failure to state a claim because Title VII does not reach individual defendants and the claim came long after the 90-day right-to-sue window, the complaint alleged insufficient state action under Section 1983, and the criminal mail statute creates no private right of action. The district judge adopted the recommendation over the plaintiff's objections and dismissed the complaint. This was a screening disposition rather than a ruling on a party motion. The adoption order states: 'The Report-Recommendation, dated April 15, 2019, recommends that the Court dismiss the action for failing to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.'
Rule 41(b) failure-to-prosecute recommendation in a defamation suit over allegedly false online statements about the plaintiff's health. Peebles recommended dismissing the complaint; the district judge adopted the recommendation without objection and dismissed the case. This was a procedural disposition without a party motion. The adoption order describes 'United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles' Report-Recommendation recommending that Plaintiff's Complaint be dismissed for failure to prosecute pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b).'
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Peebles's consent docket is heavily weighted toward Social Security appeals, where motions for judgment on the pleadings produce either an agency affirmance or a sentence-four remand. Other civil cases assigned to him with the parties' consent often resolved through mandatory mediation.
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 | 0 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2020 | 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.
A historical record
Judge Peebles no longer sits on this court. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.