D. Gordon Bryant Jr.
How Judge Bryant decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Procedural preferences
In diversity foreclosure and trespass-to-try-title cases Bryant's Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations routinely recommend granting an unopposed motion for default judgment, and they are adopted by the district judge on clear-error review absent objections.
“United States Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant made Findings, Conclusions, and a Recommendation (FCR) in this case on May 18, 2020. Dkt. No. 13. No objections to the FCR were filed... the Court accepts the FCR of the United States Magistrate Judge. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.'s Motion for Default Judgment, Dkt. No. 10, is granted.”
On contested Rule 12(b)(6)/12(b)(1) motions he recommends granting in part with carefully differentiated prejudice -- dismissing individual-capacity and immunity-barred claims with prejudice, official-capacity damages claims without prejudice, and allowing leave to amend curable defects.
“Judge Bryant recommended that the Court grant in part defendant's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and for lack of jurisdiction. In particular, Judge Bryant recommended that the Court (1) dismiss Pickett's failure-to-accommodate claims... and grant leave to amend those claims...; (2) dismiss Pickett's disability-harassment and Section 1983 claims against Dr. Cherry and Dr. Evans in their individual capacities with prejudice; (3) dismiss Pickett's Section 1983 claims for damages against Dr. Cherry and Dr. Evans in their official capacities without prejudice; and (4) deny defendants' request to dismiss all other claims.”
A request for preliminary injunctive relief should address Rule 65's notice requirements and remain tied to the claims and parties already before the court; a request based on new events at a different prison unit was recommended for denial.
“Initially, the Court observes that Jaycox has not provided notice of his request for injunctive relief to the opposing parties. See Mot. 1-5. For this reason alone, his motion should be denied.”
He recommended a temporary stay where a near-term appellate decision was likely to resolve or materially simplify a disputed jurisdictional question and the parties could continue seeking relief in state court.
“Because of the striking similarities between Sentry Insurance and the instant case, and the divergent holdings across different courts on this question, including the Northern District, the undersigned concludes that a stay in this case is appropriate, pending resolution of the appeal in Sentry Insurance.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“United States Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant made Findings, Conclusions, and a Recommendation (FCR) in this case on May 18, 2020. Dkt. No. 13. No objections to the FCR were filed... the Court accepts the FCR of the United States Magistrate Judge. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.'s Motion for Default Judgment, Dkt. No. 10, is granted.”
“Judge Bryant recommended that the Court acknowledge the parties' self-executing Amended Joint Stipulation of Dismissal filed pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) and direct the Clerk of Court to dismiss all claims with prejudice and terminate the case. Additionally, Judge Bryant recommended that the Court deny Pamela Renee Riley's Joint Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice as moot.”
“Judge Bryant recommended that the Court grant the plaintiff's Motion for Default Judgment, Dkt. No. 11, and enter a default judgment granting Wilmington Trust's requested relief.”
“Judge Bryant recommended that the Court grant in part defendant's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and for lack of jurisdiction. In particular, Judge Bryant recommended that the Court (1) dismiss Pickett's failure-to-accommodate claims... and grant leave to amend those claims...; (2) dismiss Pickett's disability-harassment and Section 1983 claims against Dr. Cherry and Dr. Evans in their individual capacities with prejudice; (3) dismiss Pickett's Section 1983 claims for damages against Dr. Cherry and Dr. Evans in their official capacities without prejudice; and (4) deny defendants' request to dismiss all other claims.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the undersigned recommends that the United States District Judge DENY Floyd Junior Jaycox's motion seeking injunctive relief. ECF No. 22.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the undersigned recommends that the United States District Judge STAY the proceedings in this case until the appellate proceedings in Sentry Insurance are concluded.”
Sua sponte screening recommendation under 28 U.S.C. 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A. The disposition was: "For these reasons, the undersigned recommends that the United States District Judge dismiss with prejudice the following claims: (1) those against Warden Ivey; and (2) those for deliberate indifference to serious medical needs against NP Odiaka, John Doe CO #1, Jane Doe CO, and NP Sherrill. The undersigned further recommends that the district judge dismiss without prejudice Aguilar's claims against Defendants in their official capacities. Finally, the undersigned recommends that the district judge require John Doe COs #2 and #3, CO Henderson, Nurse Fridlington, and Jane Doe Nurse to answer or otherwise plead as to Aguilar's claims for deliberate indifference to serious medical needs against them in their individual capacities." The district judge adopted the recommendation in full.
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Caseload is illustrative from the dockets read, not a complete enumeration. On a referral-only docket the case remains the district judge's, with the magistrate issuing recommendations; once the parties consent under 28 U.S.C. 636(c), he decides and enters final judgment himself.
Put Judge Bryant's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Bryant actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Bryant's own signed orders and cites them.