United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
42 judges profiled from their own signed orders: how each rules on motions, with the orders quoted. Court-wide standing orders ↓
John Campbell Barker
District judge, appointed by Donald Trump (Republican)
Jeremy Daniel Kernodle
District judge, appointed by Donald Trump (Republican)
Ronald Hurley ClarkSenior status
District judge, appointed by George W. Bush (Republican)
Michael H. Schneider Sr.Retired 2016
District judge, appointed by George W. Bush (Republican)
Joseph Warren SheehyDeceased
District judge, appointed by Harry S. Truman (Democratic)
Christine L. Stetson
Magistrate judge
William Lee EstesDeceased
District judge, appointed by Woodrow Wilson (Democratic)
Kimberly C. Priest JohnsonRetired 2024
Magistrate judge
Randolph BryantDeceased
District judge, appointed by Herbert Hoover (Republican)
Sean Daniel Jordan
District judge, appointed by Donald Trump (Republican)
Caroline M. CravenLeft this court 2022
Magistrate judge
Howell CobbDeceased
District judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan (Republican)
William Wayne JusticeDeceased
District judge, appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson (Democratic)
William Merritt StegerDeceased
District judge, appointed by Richard Nixon (Republican)
T. John WardRetired 2011
District judge, appointed by Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Joseph Jefferson FisherDeceased
District judge, appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
David FolsomRetired 2012
District judge, appointed by Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Amos MorrillDeceased
District judge, appointed by Ulysses S. Grant (Republican)
Chauncey Brewer SabinDeceased
District judge, appointed by Chester A. Arthur (Republican)
Gordon James RussellDeceased
District judge, appointed by William Howard Taft (Republican)
Roy Steven Payne
Magistrate judge
Amos Louis Mazzant III
District judge, appointed by Barack Obama (Democratic)
Michael Joseph Truncale
District judge, appointed by Donald Trump (Republican)
Sam Blakeley Hall Jr.Deceased
District judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan (Republican)
John D. Love
Magistrate judge
John H. Hannah Jr.Deceased
District judge, appointed by Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Richard A. SchellNo longer serving
District judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan (Republican)
Paul Neeley BrownDeceased
District judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan (Republican)
Lamar John Ryan CecilDeceased
District judge, appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
Katie Nicole Mitchell
Magistrate judge
Robert William Schroeder III
District judge, appointed by Barack Obama (Democratic)
James Rodney Gilstrap
District judge, appointed by Barack Obama (Democratic)
Bill Davis
Magistrate judge
Christine A. NowakLeft this court 2023
Magistrate judge
Zachary Joseph Hawthorn
Magistrate judge
Aileen Goldman Durrett
Magistrate judge
Keith F. GiblinLeft this court 2021
Magistrate judge
Marcia A. Crone
District judge, appointed by George W. Bush (Republican)
James Boone Baxter
Magistrate judge
Thad HeartfieldDeceased
District judge, appointed by Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Judith K. GuthrieLeft this court 2013
Magistrate judge
Leonard E. DavisRetired 2015
District judge, appointed by George W. Bush (Republican)
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026). Courts revise these, so confirm the current version before you file. The court's local rules ↗
- GO-25-04 Regarding Procedures for Access and Management of Sealed Documents ↗
- GO-24-04 Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
Filing
To seek highly sensitive document treatment, file a motion and proposed order electronically but keep the proposed HSD off CM/ECF.
“Any party shall file a motion to treat a document as an HSD and a proposed order electronically under existing procedures in Local Rule CV-5(a)(7)(C), except that a copy of the proposed HSD shall not be filed electronically.”
Sealing
Serve sealed documents by a method other than CM/ECF because electronic viewing is disabled.
“Because sealed documents filed in CM/ECF are not accessible or viewable electronically, service of those documents cannot be accomplished through CM/ECF. Parties will have to serve sealed documents by other appropriate means as provided by the Federal Rules of Procedure.”