Peter Bray

How Judge Bray rules, drawn from 9 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Position
magistrate
Commissioned
2018-08-03
Education
Rochester Institute of Technology, B.S. (Mechanical Engineering), 1992; University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 2000 (magna cum laude)
Signed orders read
9

How Judge Bray decides

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

What persuades

In Social Security appeals he reaches opposite results on the merits of the ALJ decision: he recommends remand for the claimant where the record warrants it (Kevin C.) and affirmance for the Commissioner where the decision is supported (Hernandez): the cross-MSJ posture is decided on the substantial-evidence record, not a default lean.

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment be granted, that the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment be denied, and that the case be remanded for further administrative proceedings.”

Procedural preferences

His dispositive output in civil consent/referral cases comes overwhelmingly through cross-motion summary judgment; recommendations are typically adopted without objection, and where objected to they have been overruled (Sweeney).

“On July 24, 2023, Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court deny Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, grant Defendant's motion for summary judgment ... Plaintiffs filed objections. ... Plaintiffs' objections are overruled.”

Cautions

In first-party insurance suits he has recommended full summary judgment for the insurer, resulting in dismissal with prejudice (Rivera v. AmGuard); a plaintiff with a thin coverage record should expect rigorous MSJ scrutiny.

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court grant Defendant AmGuard Insurance Company's motion for summary judgment. ... This case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”

Signed rulings

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

Kevin C. v. Dudek (Acting Commissioner of Social Security)
4:24-cv-00353 · 2025-03-06
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Granted

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment be granted, that the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment be denied, and that the case be remanded for further administrative proceedings. (D.E. 12.) No objections were filed. ... the court hereby ADOPTS the Memorandum and Recommendation as this court's opinion.”

Summary judgment (defendant) Denied

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that ... the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment be denied, and that the case be remanded for further administrative proceedings.”

Rivera v. AmGuard Insurance Company
4:23-cv-02075 · 2025-02-03
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court grant Defendant AmGuard Insurance Company's motion for summary judgment. ECF No. 29. ... No objections were filed. The court has reviewed the recommendation de novo and finds no error in law or fact. The court therefore ADOPTS the memorandum and recommendation ... This case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”

Sweeney v. Holt & Young, P.C.
4:22-cv-01230 · 2023-08-03
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Denied

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court deny Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, grant Defendant's motion for summary judgment, and dismiss the case without prejudice. (D.E. No. 69.) Plaintiffs filed objections. (D.E. 70.) Plaintiffs' objections are overruled. ... the court hereby ADOPTS the Memorandum and Recommendation as this court's opinion.”

Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court deny Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, grant Defendant's motion for summary judgment, and dismiss the case without prejudice.”

McKinney v. City of Missouri City
4:23-cv-00916 · 2025-05-22
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court grant Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment and deny Plaintiff's Motion for a New Trial. ECF No. 64. ... No objections were filed. The court ADOPTS the memorandum and recommendation as its memorandum and opinion.”

Motion for new trial (plaintiff) Denied

“Magistrate Judge Peter Bray recommended that the court grant Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment and deny Plaintiff's Motion for a New Trial.”

Hernandez v. O'Malley (Commissioner of Social Security)
4:22-cv-03633 · 2024-03-04
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Denied

“Judge Bray made findings and conclusions and recommended that Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment, (Dkt. No. 13), be denied ... (2) Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment, (Dkt. No. 13), is DENIED;”

Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“that Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment, (Dkt. No. 16), be granted; and that Defendant's final decision be affirmed. ... (3) Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. No. 16), is GRANTED; and (4) Defendant's final decision is AFFIRMED.”

Clyde Robbins Jr. v. Frank Bisignano
4:22-cv-02054 (H-22-2054) · 2026-03-31
Motion to reopen (plaintiff) Denied

“The court recommends that the Motion to Reopen be DENIED.”

John J. Dierlam v. Donald Trump et al.
4:25-cv-00123 (H-25-0123) · 2026-02-17
Motions to dismiss (defendants) Granted

“The court recommends that Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, ECF No. 30, be GRANTED. Dierlam’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction, ECF No. 15, should be DENIED as MOOT.”

Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Moot / procedural
Ann Sutton v. John Chung et al.
4:25-cv-02639 (H-25-2639) · 2026-02-10
Motions to dismiss (defendants) Granted

“The court recommends that Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, ECF No. 32, be GRANTED, and Plaintiff’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction, ECF No. 17, be DENIED. Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel Supplemental Rule 7.1 Disclosure, and Motion for Judicial Notice of Public SEC Filings, ECF Nos. 23 and 24, are DENIED as MOOT.”

Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Denied
Motion to compel disclosure (plaintiff) Moot / procedural
Motion for judicial notice (plaintiff) Moot / procedural
Jose Villarreal v. Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LLC
7:23-cv-00421 (M-23-421) · 2026-03-06
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“For the foregoing reasons, the court recommends that Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment, ECF No. 46, be GRANTED. Plaintiff’s Motion for Expedited Trial Setting is DENIED AS MOOT.”

Motion for expedited trial setting (plaintiff) Moot / procedural

Draft for Judge Bray with the record in hand

Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Bray, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.

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