Thomas L. Parker

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee district Appointed by Donald Trump (Republican) 22 signed orders read

How Judge Parker decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

The judge enforces the rule that a business entity cannot appear pro se even when a well-intentioned non-lawyer (here, a company's own registered agent) tries to file on its behalf, rather than reaching the merits of that party's motion.

“28 U.S.C. § 1654 "generally prohibits non-lawyers from representing other persons other than themselves in federal court."”

Procedural preferences

On an untimely, unpaid bankruptcy appeal, the judge gave the pro se appellants multiple chances -- a show-cause order and a second rescheduled hearing -- before dismissing, rather than dismissing at the first default.

“Despite having notice of the new hearing date, he failed to appear.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Austin v. Mobifyi, LLC
2:20-cv-02285-TLP-tmp · 2020-07-27
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“Thus, the Court DENIES WITHOUT PREJUDICE the motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction.”

Ford v. Memphis-Shelby County Schools
2:22-cv-02346-TLP-atc · 2023-03-09
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“The Court therefore ADOPTS IN PART Judge Christoff's R&R and DENIES MSCS's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim.”

Nelson v. Cadles of West Virginia, LLC
2:20-cv-02936-TLP-cgc · 2021-03-29
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“The Court thus GRANTS Appellee's motion to dismiss and DISMISSES this appeal WITH PREJUDICE.”

Jones v. Wal-Mart Stores East, Inc.
2:20-cv-02889-TLP-atc · 2021-02-22
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Granted

“The Court GRANTS Plaintiffs' Motion to Remand and REMANDS this case to the Circuit Court of Lauderdale County, Tennessee for the Twenty-Fifth Judicial District.”

Tennco Holdings, LLC v. KingSid Ventures, Ltd.
2:18-cv-02620-TLP-cgc · 2019-05-15
Motions to remand (plaintiff) Granted

“The Court GRANTS Plaintiff's Motion to Remand. This matter is remanded to the Chancery Court of Shelby County, Tennessee.”

Patton v. Bonner
2:19-cv-02344-TLP-tmp · 2020-04-28
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“The Court GRANTS Respondent's motion to dismiss and DISMISSES WITHOUT PREJUDICE Petitioner's § 2241 petition.”

Clippinger v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.
2:20-cv-02482-TLP-cgc · 2021-10-19
Summary judgment (defendant) Denied

“The Court therefore DENIES Defendant's motion for summary judgment but GRANTS the motion to compel appraisal and stay the case.”

Motion to compel appraisal (defendant) Granted
Cooper v. Warden, FCI Bennettsville
2:20-cv-02783-TLP-tmp · 2021-08-09
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“the Court GRANTS Respondent's Motion for Summary Judgment, and DENIES the § 2241 Petition.”

Walker v. Bailey
2:23-cv-02169-TLP-cgc · 2025-03-27
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“For the reasons above, the Court GRANTS the Motion to Dismiss.”

TX Direct, LLC v. First Data Merchant Services LLC
2:22-cv-02685-TLP-tmp · 2025-07-22
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“the Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on TX Direct's breach of contract claim”

Summary judgment (defendant) Denied

“the Court DENIES Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Defendants' breach of contract counterclaim.”

Washington v. Smith & Nephew
2:23-cv-02760-TLP-atc · 2025-08-12
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“the Court ADOPTS the R&R (ECF No. 39), DENIES Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 33), and GRANTS Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 37).”

Summary judgment (plaintiff) Denied
United States v. Manley
2:20-cv-02598-TLP-cgc · 2021-10-25
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Granted

“the Court GRANTS the Government's motion for summary judgment. The Court will enter judgment for the Government.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The sampled caseload spans wage-and-hour and employment claims, prisoner habeas petitions, civil forfeiture, insurance and contract disputes, and personal-injury matters. One sampled case included a dispositive ruling.

Put Judge Parker's record to work

Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Parker actually rules, not a generic AI guess.

Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Parker's own signed orders and cites them.