Thérèse Wiley Dancks
How Judge Dancks rules, drawn from 13 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Dancks no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Dancks
Thérèse Wiley Dancks served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York from 2012 until her retirement in February 2026. She was the first woman to hold a magistrate judgeship in the district and later served as Chief Magistrate Judge. She earned her law degree from Syracuse University College of Law and practiced in Syracuse before joining the bench.
How Judge Dancks decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Brenda M. P. v. Commissioner, Dancks recommended sentence-four remand because the ALJ had not adequately explained the step-three Listing conclusion; the district court adopted that recommendation.
“ORDERS that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 14) is GRANTED ... this matter is REMANDED, pursuant to sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)”
Procedural preferences
In Maldonado v. Mandalaywala, Dancks recommended denying summary judgment without prejudice as to Bennett because a factual dispute over grievance availability required a hearing; the district court adopted that recommendation.
“ORDERED that Defendants' motion for summary judgment (Dkt. No. 46) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART”
In Miller v. Catholic Charities, Dancks recommended sua sponte dismissal without prejudice and with leave to amend for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction; the district court adopted the recommendation.
“Chief United States Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks' Report-Recommendation recommending that Plaintiff's Complaint be sua sponte dismissed without prejudice and with leave to amend for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. ... the Report-Recommendation is accepted and adopted in its entirety”
Cautions
In April S. v. Commissioner, Dancks recommended affirming the benefits denial. The district court adopted her recommendation and affirmed the Commissioner’s decision.
“ORDERS that Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 14) is GRANTED ... the Commissioner's decision is AFFIRMED”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“ORDERS that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 12) is DENIED”
“ORDERS that Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 14) is GRANTED ... the Commissioner's decision is AFFIRMED”
“Chief United States Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks' Report-Recommendation recommending that Plaintiff's Complaint be sua sponte dismissed without prejudice and with leave to amend for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. ... the Report-Recommendation is accepted and adopted in its entirety”
“ORDERS that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 14) is GRANTED ... this matter is REMANDED, pursuant to sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)”
“ORDERS that Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 16) is DENIED”
“ORDERED that Magistrate Judge Dancks' Report-Recommendation (Dkt. No. 26) is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED in its entirety ... Defendants' motion for summary judgment (Dkt. No. 22) is GRANTED”
“ORDERED that Defendants' motion to dismiss (Dkt. No. 24) is DENIED”
“ORDERED that Defendants' motion for summary judgment (Dkt. No. 46) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART”
“the motion for summary judgment and partial motion to dismiss, Dkt. No. 25, is DENIED”
“RECOMMENDED that the Commissioner's decision denying Plaintiff benefits be AFFIRMED.”
“RECOMMENDED that the Commissioner's decision be REVERSED and REMANDED to the Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) for further administrative proceedings.”
“RECOMMENDED that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 11) be GRANTED, Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Dkt. No. 17) be DENIED, and the Commissioner's determination be REVERSED and REMANDED.”
“Commissioner's decision is REVERSED on consent under sentence four of 42 U.S. C.§ 405(g) and REMANDED to the Commissioner for further proceedings.”
“ORDERED that Plaintiff's letter motion, Dkt. Nos. 218, 224, is denied.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Dancks's sampled civil docket is dominated by Social Security disability appeals, alongside a substantial criminal-duty workload involving warrants, complaints, and misdemeanor matters. The duration figures cover fourteen terminated Social Security cases filed from January through May 2020 and measure filing to termination, not the time taken to decide a motion.
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 | 1 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2024 | 3 | 1 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 2 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 1 |
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 Dancks 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.