Curtis L. Collier
How Judge Collier rules, drawn from 27 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Collier
Curtis Lynn Collier is a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Appointed by President William J. Clinton, Judge Collier received a commission on May 10, 1995. Judge Collier assumed senior status on October 31, 2014.
Judge Collier's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Collier, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Copy all counsel if sending correspondence to chambers.
“However, if correspondence is written, copies should be sent to counsel for all parties.”
Motions
Judge Collier typically does not hold oral argument on motions.
“Judge Collier typically does not hold oral argument on motions.”
Motions
Any request for additional pages should be made by motion at least two business days before the overly long document is due to be filed and should state all parties' positions on the request if possible.
“Any request for additional pages should be made by motion at least two business days before the overly long document is due to be filed and should state all parties' positions on the request if possible.”
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026).
How Judge Collier decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In an FCA qui tam suit, the judge rejects a facial Article II challenge to the qui tam device: relators pursuing non-intervened claims are not 'Officers' subject to the Appointments Clause because their role lacks the tenure, continuing duration, and independent authority that would require presidential appointment: a government litigant can restrict or take over the relator's role at any time.
“Relators do not 'occupy a continuing position established by law.' Their office is not static in the sense that their roles are specific to the particular relators bringing the claim.”
Applying the Sixth Circuit's post-Clark v. A&L Homecare standard for FLSA collective notice, the judge credits detailed party stipulations and side-by-side job postings as sufficient to show a 'strong likelihood' that proposed collective members are similarly situated, even under the heightened standard that replaced the old 'modest showing' test.
“the Court concludes that Plaintiff Shelton has shown a strong likelihood that the Sales Coordinators in the FLSA Collective are similarly situated to Plaintiff Shelton.”
Procedural preferences
In Bell v. Hamilton County, Collier declined to search voluminous uncited exhibits for evidence to defeat summary judgment after finding the plaintiffs’ stated factual disputes lacked competent record support.
“This Court declines to search the extensive record in this case for evidence that would allow Plaintiffs' claims to survive summary judgment.”
In Wamsley v. Bedford County, Collier allowed disputed photographs and lay testimony for the jury to assess but excluded late-disclosed medical-record images after finding the disclosure violation was not harmless.
“Vigorous cross-examination, presentation of contrary evidence, and careful instruction on the burden of proof are the traditional and appropriate means of attacking shaky but admissible evidence.”
In Self v. Simmons, Collier stayed the entire civil case pending a related criminal prosecution after finding a partial stay would impose a greater burden on the parties.
“the Court concludes that staying the case as to only Simmons would be more burdensome on the parties then staying the case in its entirety.”
In a tax credit suit, the court allowed a limited supplemental filing to supply a directive but declined broader sur reply briefing because the government’s reply had raised no new argument.
“There being no new arguments brought up in Defendant’s brief, there is no need for further briefing.”
Cautions
In a pro se habeas case, he dismissed the petition under Rule 41(b) after the petitioner failed to pay a $5 filing fee despite a warning that noncompliance would lead to dismissal.
“Given the Court’s clear instructions and express warnings, alternative sanctions are not appropriate. Accordingly, the Court DISMISSES this action under Rule 41(b).”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“DENIES Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Court File No. 13), GRANTS Defendant's motion for summary judgment (Court File No. 19); AFFIRMS the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security; and DISMISSES the case.”
“the Court DENIES Defendant's motion to reopen sentencing or alter or amend the judgment (Court File No. 161)”
“the Court DENIES as MOOT Defendant's motion for an extension of time to self report.”
“The Court concludes the class in this case is not ascertainable... Accordingly, the Court will DENY End Payors' motion for class certification.”
“For these reasons, the Court concludes Indirect Purchasers have failed to meet their burden on a motion for class certification. The Court will DENY Indirect Purchasers' motion.”
“The Court will therefore DENY Defendant's motions to suppress the evidence derived from the wiretap (Doc. 145), the search of the cellphone (Doc. 147), and the photographic identification (Doc. 151).”
“The petition for habeas corpus relief under §2241 [Doc. 2] will be DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“Because Plaintiff fails to state a claim for relief, the Court will GRANT Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings (Doc. 21).”
“the parties' joint motions to consolidate their individual actions and appoint interim lead counsel... are GRANTED. J. Gerard Stranch, IV. is APPOINTED as Plaintiffs' Interim Lead Counsel. The cases are CONSOLIDATED under the caption for the first-filed action.”
“Defendant's objection (Doc. 34) is OVERRULED and the report and recommendation (Doc. 30) is ACCEPTED. Defendant's motion to suppress (Doc. 17) is DENIED.”
“Accordingly, Plaintiff's motion for leave to file a sur-reply (Doc. 61) is DENIED.”
“Defendant Hamilton County and Defendant Hammond's motions for summary judgment [Docs. 53, 55, 58, 60] will be GRANTED as to Plaintiffs' federal claims”
“The John Doe Defendants' motion for summary judgment [Doc. 48] is DENIED as moot.”
“Defendants' motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Doc. 50) will be GRANTED. This case will be DISMISSED without prejudice, and the Clerk of Court will be DIRECTED to close the case.”
“The Court will GRANT Simmons's motion to stay the case as to himself. (Doc. 11.) The Court will also GRANT TVA's motion to stay the case in its entirety. (Doc. 18.) Accordingly, the case will be STAYED as to all parties pending the resolution of Simmons's criminal case.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The sample includes commercial fraud and surety litigation, consumer credit, employment discrimination, racketeering, product-liability, wage-and-hour, telephone-consumer, Social Security, habeas, and housing-discrimination matters. Several cases settled or were voluntarily dismissed before a dispositive ruling, including matters that settled after summary-judgment briefing.
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 | 5 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 5 |
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 2 |
| Mar 2025 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 2024 | 0 | 2 |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2023 | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 2022 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2021 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 3 |
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.
How long civil cases take in this court
For the whole of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, not for Judge Collier: median time from filing to disposition of the civil cases the court closed in the 12 months ending September 30, 2025, as reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
| Cases | Median time | |
|---|---|---|
| All civil cases closed | 933 | 9.3 months |
| Closed with no court action | 139 | 7.3 months |
| Closed before pretrial | 724 | 9.1 months |
| Closed during or after pretrial | 59 | 20.2 months |
| Closed during trial | 11 | 32.4 months |
| 12 months ending | Cases closed | Median time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 933 | 9.3 months |
| Sep 2024 | 845 | 10.4 months |
| Sep 2023 | 762 | 10.9 months |
| Sep 2022 | 921 | 12.5 months |
| Sep 2021 | 949 | 11.6 months |
| Sep 2020 | 803 | 10 months |
| Sep 2019 | 859 | 12.1 months |
The table leaves out prisoner petitions, land condemnations, deportation reviews, recovery of overpayments and enforcement of judgments, and reports no median for fewer than 10 cases. A district that closed a large multidistrict litigation in the period shows very large counts and long medians for that year. Source: Table C-5, U.S. District Courts (spreadsheet).
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