Thomas M. Parker
How Judge Parker rules, drawn from 13 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Parker no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Parker
Thomas M. Parker became a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio in March 2016. He earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1979. Before joining the federal court, he practiced law in Akron and served as a judge of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.
How Judge Parker decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Marrero’s Social Security appeal, Parker recommended affirming the denial of disability insurance benefits because the ALJ applied proper legal standards and the decision was supported by substantial evidence.
“Because the Administrative Law Judge (‘ALJ’) applied proper legal standards and reached a decision supported by substantial evidence, I recommend that the Commissioner's final decision denying Marrero's application for DIB be AFFIRMED.”
Cautions
In Fauvie, Parker found that the claimant lacked a particularized injury from the asserted separation-of-powers violation and recommended affirming the benefits denial.
“Because Fauvie has not suffered a particularized injury stemming from the asserted separation of powers violation, she lacks standing to use the allegedly unconstitutional limitation on the president's power to remove the Commissioner as a basis for remand. Further, because the ALJ applied proper legal standards and reached a decision supported by substantial evidence, I recommend that the Commissioner's final decision denying Fauvie's application for SSI be affirmed.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“On November 22, 2017, Judge Parker issued a Report and Recommendation recommending that the final decision of the Commissioner be vacated and Watkins's case remanded because the ALJ 'did not correctly apply the applicable legal standards.' ... the Court ADOPTS Magistrate Judge Parker's Report and Recommendation ... The Court VACATES the final decision of the Commissioner and REMANDS this case”
“Judge Parker recommends I affirm the final decision of Defendant Commissioner of Social Security ... Therefore, Parsell's objections are overruled, and Judge Parker's R & R is adopted, in full.”
“Judge Parker submitted an R&R on March 15, 2024, recommending that the court grant Respondent's Motion, deny the petition for a writ of habeas corpus, and dismiss the action for lack of jurisdiction. ... the court hereby grants Respondent's Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 11), denies the petition for a writ of habeas corpus (ECF No. 1), and dismisses the action for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.”
“On April 25, 2022, Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker recommended the Court deny Petitioner Davon Irvine's writ of habeas corpus. ... the Court hereby OVERRULES Irvine's objection, ADOPTS the R&R, and DENIES Irvine's petition for habeas review.”
“Memorandum Opinion and Order: The Commissioner's final decision denying claimant Jared Via's application for disability insurance benefits is AFFIRMED. ... Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker on 3/22/2024.”
“This matter comes before the Court upon Plaintiff's Objections (ECF DKT #22) to the Report and Recommendation (ECF DKT #21) of Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker, who recommends that the Court affirm the Commissioner's decision denying Plaintiff's Claim for Disability Insurance Benefits (‘DIB’) and Supplemental Security Income (‘SSI’) ... the Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation (ECF DKT #21) is ADOPTED and the Commissioner's denial of Plaintiff's Claim is AFFIRMED.”
“This matter comes before the Court upon Plaintiff's Objections (ECF DKT #16) to the Report and Recommendation (ECF DKT #15) of Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker, who recommends that the Court affirm the Commissioner's decision denying Plaintiff's Claim for Supplemental Security Income (‘SSI’). For the following reasons, the Court ADOPTS Magistrate Judge Parker's Report and Recommendation and AFFIRMS the Commissioner's denial of Plaintiff's Claims.”
“This matter comes before the Court upon Plaintiff's Objections (ECF #18) to the Report and Recommendation (ECF #17) of Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker, who recommends that the Court affirm the Commissioner's decision denying Plaintiff's claim for Supplemental Security Income (‘SSI’) ... the Court ADOPTS the Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation and AFFIRMS the Commissioner's denial of Plaintiff's Claim.”
“Because the Administrative Law Judge (‘ALJ’) applied proper legal standards and reached a decision supported by substantial evidence, I recommend that the Commissioner's final decision denying Marrero's application for DIB be AFFIRMED.”
“On March 29, 2021, the magistrate judge submitted a Report and Recommendation (ECF No. 18) recommending that the Court vacate the Commissioner's decision and remand the case to the Commissioner. ... the Report and Recommendation of the magistrate judge is hereby adopted. The Court vacates the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security and remands this case to the Commissioner for rehearing and a new decision.”
“The Magistrate Judge issued a report and recommendation that the Court vacate the Commissioner's decision and remand the case for reconsideration. The Commissioner makes two objections to this recommendation. For the reasons that follow, the Court SUSTAINS the Commissioner's Objections (ECF No. 17), DECLINES TO ADOPT the Report and Recommendation (ECF No. 16), and AFFIRMS the Commissioner's decision denying Ms. Kinnebrew's application for benefits.”
“Because Fauvie has not suffered a particularized injury stemming from the asserted separation of powers violation, she lacks standing to use the allegedly unconstitutional limitation on the president's power to remove the Commissioner as a basis for remand. Further, because the ALJ applied proper legal standards and reached a decision supported by substantial evidence, I recommend that the Commissioner's final decision denying Fauvie's application for SSI be affirmed.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 178 days (N = 14).
- A 2023 sample of Judge Parker's direct and consent docket is dominated by Social Security appeals in which he entered final judgment under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c).
- It also includes wage-and-hour, family-leave, employment civil-rights, consumer, and criminal magistrate matters.
- His referred recommendations in criminal and habeas cases appear under the assigned district judge rather than as directly assigned cases.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Parker was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of September 30, 2025.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2021 | 1 | 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 Parker 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.