Joseph A. Cordova

How Judge Cordova rules, drawn from 29 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

Court
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Position
magistrate
Commissioned
2023-10-25
Education
St. Mary's University (B.A., 1989); Oklahoma City University School of Law (J.D., 1992)
Signed orders read
29

Signed rulings

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

United States v. Victor Raul Ibarra-Garcia
DR:24-CR-02757(1)-AM · 2024-12-20

With the defendant's consent, Cordova conducted the Rule 11 colloquy and recommended accepting a guilty plea to illegal reentry without a plea agreement. Sentencing remained for Chief Judge Alia Moses. The recommendation did not resolve a contested motion.

United States v. Jose Guadalupe Santos-Sanchez
DR:25-CR-00184(1)-AM · 2025-04-10

Cordova conducted the consent plea colloquy and recommended accepting a guilty plea to illegal reentry without a plea agreement. Sentencing remained for Chief Judge Alia Moses, and the recommendation did not resolve a contested motion.

Christopher James Carter v. Jason Mitchell and Gilbert Alverado
2:23-cv-00022-AM-JAC · 2024-01-04
Motion to proceed in forma pauperis (Christopher James Carter) Denied

“the undersigned RECOMMENDS that Plaintiff's application be DENIED and his complaint DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”

Carla Valdez v. Officer No. 4 John Doe and Malex Logistics LLC d/b/a Malex Logistics S.A. de C.V.
2:24-cv-00088-EG-JAC · 2025-06-05
Motion to dismiss lack of personal jurisdiction (Malex Logistics S.A. de C.V.) Granted

“the undersigned RECOMMENDS that Malex's motion to dismiss be GRANTED and the claims against Malex be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”

Motion to dismiss lack of personal jurisdiction (sua sponte as to Defendant John Doe (Francisco Javier Vazquez Moran)) Granted

“The undersigned further RECOMMENDS that the claims against John Doe be DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE pursuant to Rule 41(b) and/or Rule 12(b)(2).”

United States v. Carlos Portillo-Mesa
DR:25-CR-00181(1)-EG · 2025-02-26
Felony guilty plea (Carlos Portillo-Mesa) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Jose Angel Martinez-Cleto
DR:25-CR-00843(1)-AM · 2025-07-01
Felony guilty plea (Jose Angel Martinez-Cleto) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Jordy Raul Orellana-Carranza
DR:25-CR-01382(1)-AM · 2025-08-14
Felony guilty plea (Jordy Raul Orellana-Carranza) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Oscar Dario Molina-Cruz
DR:25-CR-02378(1)-AM · 2025-12-16
Felony guilty plea (Oscar Dario Molina-Cruz) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Guadalupe Juan-Miguel
DR:26-CR-00022(1)-EG · 2026-02-25
Felony guilty plea (Guadalupe Juan-Miguel) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Edis Humberto Dubon-Guillen
DR:25-CR-02791(1)-AM · 2025-12-17
Felony guilty plea (Edis Humberto Dubon-Guillen) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Carlos Alejandro Varela-Avila
DR:25-CR-00908(1)-EG · 2025-07-02
Felony guilty plea (Carlos Alejandro Varela-Avila) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

United States v. Oscar Aaron Sanchez-Dominguez
DR:25-CR-01314(1)-AM · 2025-08-14
Felony guilty plea (Oscar Aaron Sanchez-Dominguez) Granted

“It is therefore the recommendation of the undersigned that the Defendant's guilty plea be ACCEPTED and that a judgment of guilt be entered against the Defendant.”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Assigned district judges on his referral civil cases include Ernest Gonzalez and Chief Judge Alia Moses (Del Rio). The criminal felony-guilty-plea R&Rs run to Chief Judge Alia Moses.

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