Timothy D. DeGiusti
How Judge DeGiusti decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Adopts thorough magistrate R&Rs in full where objections are non-specific or untimely; a blanket objection that fails to cite the specific information allegedly ignored does not preserve the issue for de novo (or appellate) review.
“this type of blanket objection without argument or authorities, is not sufficient to preserve an issue for further review.”
Procedural preferences
Strict on the LCvR37.1 meet-and-confer requirement; denies discovery motions that skip it and prefers an in-chambers face-to-face conference between lead counsel before any discovery hearing.
“it is this Court's customary practice to require a face-to-face meeting between lead counsel for the parties in chambers before conducting a hearing on a discovery motion.”
Cautions
Reconsideration / Rule 59(e) motions are disfavored 'extreme remedies'; will not entertain expanded arguments, points raised for the first time in reply (deemed waived), or rehashing of decided issues.
“A motion to reconsider is not a second opportunity for the losing party to make its strongest case, to rehash arguments, or to dress up arguments that previously failed.”
Pro se litigants get liberal construction but no advocacy: the court will not create arguments for them or excuse non-compliance with the federal rules.
“courts are not to serve as a pro se plaintiff's advocate and are not bound to create arguments for a plaintiff merely because he is pro se.”
Motion outcomes
Counted from classified signed orders only. Percentages are shown only where the sample is large enough to be meaningful; smaller samples are reported as raw counts.
| Summary judgment N = 2 |
Granted: 2 | counts only |
| Motions to dismiss N = 1 |
Granted: 1 | counts only |
| Motion for sanctions N = 1 |
Denied: 1 | counts only |
| Motion to alter amend judgment N = 1 |
Denied: 1 | counts only |
| Motion for reconsideration N = 1 |
Denied: 1 | counts only |
| Motions to compel N = 1 |
Moot / procedural: 1 | counts only |
A "1 of 1" is one ruling, not a tendency. Treat small samples as illustrative, not predictive.
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendant Stewart's Motion to Dismiss [Doc. No. 6] is GRANTED; ... Defendant OCCJA's Motion to Dismiss [Doc. No. 39] is GRANTED; Defendant Turn Key's Motion to Dismiss [Doc. No. 41] is GRANTED ... Based on these rulings, Plaintiff's Complaint [Doc. No. 1] is DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“Defendant CJ's Bail Bonds' Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. No. 16] is GRANTED;”
“Defendant Stewart's Motion for Sanctions [Doc. No. 32] is DENIED;”
“Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. No. 18] is GRANTED. All Plaintiff's motions are moot and, therefore, DENIED.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Plaintiff's Motion for New Trial and Brief in Support [Doc. No. 62] is DENIED.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Plaintiff's Motion to Reconsider [Doc. No. 92] is DENIED.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Defendant's Motion to Compel [Doc. No. 30] is DENIED without prejudice to a future submission upon compliance with LCvR37.1.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 94 days (N = 17).
Chief-judge mixed civil + criminal docket. Heavy pro se prisoner/habeas component (often referred to MJs Suzanne Mitchell, Shon T. Erwin, Amanda Maxfield Green) alongside counseled commercial/insurance/contract litigation. Counts are sample-level, not court-wide.