Janis Ann Graham Jack
How Judge Jack rules, drawn from 4 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Jack no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Jack
Janis Graham Jack served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas from March 1994 through October 2025. Appointed by President Bill Clinton, she assumed senior status in June 2011 and continued her judicial service until October 14, 2025. Before becoming a judge, she trained as a registered nurse and earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law.
How Judge Jack decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Hernandez v. Horn, Jack denied qualified immunity summary judgment for four supervisors because evidence raised a factual issue about their professional judgment on security. She granted it for Weizenbaum because the plaintiffs had not shown that he supervised the facility.
“Accordingly, Professional Defendants Horn, Waller, Geredine, and Benson are not entitled to summary judgment on qualified immunity.”
In Botello v. Corpus Christi Housing Authority, Jack denied summary judgment on gender discrimination after finding a fact dispute about the employer’s stated reason for termination. She also found a separate fact issue on causation in the plaintiff’s prima facie Title VII retaliation case.
“Plaintiff has submitted evidence to create a fact issue as to the third element of her prima facie case. This fact issue precludes summary judgment for Defendant on Plaintiff’s claim for Title VII retaliation.”
Procedural preferences
In Holmes v. Parson, Jack declined to adopt the magistrate judge's proposed factual findings, but adopted the conclusion that factual disputes remained for trial.
“the Court DECLINES TO ADOPT the Magistrate's Memorandum and Recommendation with respect to the proposed findings of fact noted above ... However, the Court ADOPTS the Magistrate Judge's conclusion that issues of fact remain for trial”
Cautions
In Salinas v. Johnson, Jack rejected the respondent’s successive petition argument, denied the habeas petition on the merits, dismissed the case with prejudice, and denied a certificate of appealability.
“this case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. Petitioner is DENIED a Certificate of Appealability.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Defendants' motion to dismiss is DENIED. (D.E. 49.)”
“Defendants' motion for summary judgment on the issue of qualified immunity as to Jon Weizenbaum is GRANTED. (D.E. 49.) Defendants' motion for summary judgment on the issue of qualified immunity as to Adelaide Horn, Barry Waller, Denise Geredine, and Iva Benson is DENIED. (D.E. 49.)”
“Defendant's motion for summary judgment is hereby DENIED. Plaintiff's claims for gender discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII remain pending in this case.”
“The Court DENIES Plaintiff's request for such attorney's fees, without prejudice.”
“Respondent's Motion is GRANTED. (D.E. 40.) Petitioner's 28 U.S.C. 2254 petition for a writ of habeas corpus challenging his convictions for capital murder and attempted capital murder in cause number 97-CR-3827-C is DENIED, and this case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“the Court ... ADOPTS the Magistrate Judge's conclusion that issues of fact remain for trial as to Deputy Parson's knowledge of a risk to Plaintiff's safety and the reasonableness of Parson's actions given said risk.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 245 days (N = 3).
- Senior USDJ, Corpus Christi Division (retired 2025-10-14).
- Sampled 2018-2022 newly-assigned docket is almost entirely 28 U.S.C. 2255 prisoner habeas/vacatur motions (e.g. Ehret, Villarreal, Ramos, Mason, Jenkins v. USA) plus a few criminal cases (US v. Martinez-Cuellar).
- Her historically significant civil work, the M.D. v. Abbott statewide foster-care class action and the silica MDL-1553, is not captured in this recent-window sample.
- The mix above is descriptive; this record does not include a quantitative nature-of-suit breakdown.
A historical record
Judge Jack no longer sits on this court. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled here. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.