Vanessa D. Gilmore
How Judge Gilmore rules, drawn from 4 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
Judge Gilmore no longer sits on this court. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled here.
About Judge Gilmore
Vanessa D. Gilmore was a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Appointed by President William J. Clinton, Judge Gilmore received a commission on June 9, 1994. Judge Gilmore retired on January 2, 2022.
How Judge Gilmore decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In Wells's § 2254 case, Gilmore dismissed the petition without prejudice because Wells had not presented all his claims to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
“This federal petition is dismissed, without prejudice, to allow Wells to do so.”
Procedural preferences
In Memorial Hermann's ERISA suit, Gilmore referred the case to a magistrate judge for full pretrial management under § 636(b)(1)(A) and (B).
“This matter was referred by United States District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore, for full pre-trial management, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A) [and] (B).”
Cautions
In Vasquez's civil-rights suit challenging his convictions, Gilmore held the claims barred under Heck because he had not shown that the convictions were invalidated, and dismissed them with prejudice to reassertion once the Heck conditions are met.
“Vasquez’s claims are dismissed with prejudice to them being reasserted when the Heck conditions are met.”
In Chase's prisoner suit, Gilmore dismissed his involuntary-servitude claim as frivolous, explaining that requiring inmates to work without compensation did not violate the Constitution.
“Alternatively, the Court finds that Chase's allegation of involuntary servitude is frivolous.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The respondent's motion for summary judgment, (Docket Entry No. 16), is GRANTED. Wells's petition for a writ of habeas corpus is DENIED. This case is dismissed, without prejudice, because Wells failed to exhaust his state remedies on all his claims to the state's highest court of criminal jurisdiction. 28 U.S.C. § 2254.”
“Wells's petition for a writ of habeas corpus is DENIED. ... No certificate of appealability will issue because Wells has not made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.”
“Dunn has not clearly carried his burden of persuasion, and therefore, it is ORDERED that his Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction, (Docket Entry No. 5), is DENIED.”
“Dunn's motion to proceed in forma pauperis, (Docket Entry No. 2), is GRANTED.”
“Vasquez's constructive Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, (Docket Entry No. 1), is GRANTED.”
“Vasquez's motion for the appointment of counsel, (Docket Entry No. 3), is DENIED as moot.”
“Chase's constructive motion to proceed in forma pauperis, (Docket Entry No. 1), is GRANTED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median motion-to-ruling time: 297 days (N = 3).
- Houston-division docket (1994-2021).
- She handled a large general civil docket, she presided over the 2005 Enron Broadband criminal trial, alongside pro se prisoner litigation, including state habeas petitions and statutory frivolousness screenings.
- She decided dispositive motions herself in many of her contested civil cases, such as the Kilts Contracting v. Anadarko commercial matter sampled here, and referred many other contested civil matters to magistrate judges.
Pending matters in the official report
Judge Gilmore was last listed in the Civil Justice Reform Act report as of September 30, 2021.
| Motions pending more than six months | 0 |
| Bench trials submitted more than six months | 0 |
| Bankruptcy appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Social Security appeals pending more than six months | 0 |
| Civil cases pending more than three years | 4 |
| Report | Motions over six months | Cases over three years |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2021 | 0 | 4 |
| Mar 2021 | 0 | 7 |
| Sep 2020 | 0 | 5 |
A snapshot on that date: matters listed may since have been decided or reassigned. A motion referred to a magistrate judge is counted for both judges. Motions in multidistrict litigation, section 2255 cases and Social Security appeals are not counted, and a very large three-year count is generally a multidistrict docket. Source: Appendix A of the report (PDF); about the report.
A historical record
Judge Gilmore 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.