Scott W. Skavdahl
How Judge Skavdahl rules, drawn from 5 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Skavdahl decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Applies strict scrutiny with teeth to content-based speech restrictions, putting the narrow-tailoring and least-restrictive-means burden squarely on the government and striking statutes (such as Wyoming's 'data trespass' laws) as facially unconstitutional.
“ORDERED that Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 95) is GRANTED ... the State of Wyoming is permanently enjoined from enforcing Wyoming statutes 6-3-414(c) and 40-27-101(c) as both are in violation of the First Amendment”
For a noncitizen arrested in the interior after more than a year in the United States, the judge applied 8 U.S.C. Section 1226(a) and required an individualized bond hearing rather than accepting detention without bond under Section 1225(b).
“The Court concludes 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) better applies to Petitioner Arevalo’s detention, and it guarantees him an individualized bond hearing, which he has not received.”
Cautions
Applies Wyoming's oilfield anti-indemnity statute by substance over label, voiding release, assumption-of-liability, and duty-to-defend clauses that would relieve a party of liability for its own negligence, and reads the contract as a whole to avoid rendering provisions meaningless.
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED Plaintiff's Motion to Dismiss Defendant Noble Casing, Inc.'s Counterclaim [ECF No. 28] is hereby GRANTED.”
Rule 59(e) reconsideration is not a vehicle to relitigate: he denies it where the movant shows no proper factual or legal basis, directing that the proper remedy is an appeal.
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration (ECF No. 67) is DENIED.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED Plaintiff's Motion to Dismiss Defendant Noble Casing, Inc.'s Counterclaim [ECF No. 28] is hereby GRANTED.”
“It is FURTHER ORDERED Defendant Noble's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF No. 30] is hereby DENIED.”
“ORDERED that Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 95) is GRANTED ... the State of Wyoming is permanently enjoined from enforcing Wyoming statutes 6-3-414(c) and 40-27-101(c) as both are in violation of the First Amendment”
“FURTHER ORDERED that State Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 98) is DENIED”
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration (ECF No. 67) is DENIED.”
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Diego Armando Agualongo Arevalo’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (ECF 1) is GRANTED.”
“Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e) (ECF 16) is hereby DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Willey, a heavily litigated First Amendment and parental-rights case, was filed on April 20, 2023 and terminated on April 28, 2025 after 739 days. The directly assigned 2026 cases remained pending at the evidence cutoff and supply no durations. Other terminated matters, including Burnett and Great West Casualty, are not represented in the dispositive-timing sample.
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