Patricia A. Donahue
How Judge Donahue 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 she remands on an 'open record' when she reverses, rather than ordering an award of benefits -- returning the case to the agency for further proceedings consistent with her opinion rather than substituting her own disability finding.
“The ALJ's decision is reversed, and the case is remanded on an open record. A separate judgment will issue.”
Procedural preferences
When she affirms the Commissioner she dismisses the action with prejudice in the same judgment -- a clean, final disposition rather than a remand-for-clarification half-measure.
“IT IS ORDERED that judgment be entered AFFIRMING the Acting Commissioner's decision, DENYING Plaintiff's request for remand, and DISMISSING this action with prejudice.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REVERSING AGENCY DECISION AND REMANDING by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue. The ALJ's decision is reversed, and the case is remanded on an open record. A separate judgment will issue.”
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER AFFIRMING COMMISSIONER by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue. IT IS ORDERED that judgment be entered AFFIRMING the Acting Commissioner's decision, DENYING Plaintiff's request for remand, and DISMISSING this action with prejudice.”
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REVERSING AGENCY DECISION AND REMANDING by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue. The ALJ's decision is reversed [and the matter remanded].”
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REVERSING AGENCY DECISION AND REMANDING by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue.”
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Judgment be entered reversing the [Commissioner's] decision [and remanding].”
“ORDER GRANTING IN PART PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS AND ORDERING RELEASE by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue: re Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, 1 . The Petition is GRANTED as to Claim Two, and the remaining claims are dismissed without prejudice. Petitioner Axell Espinoza Espinoza (A# 233-223-132) is ordered released on his prior conditions of release within 24 hours of this Order.”
“ORDER GRANTING IN PARTPETITION FOR WRIT OFHABEAS CORPUS ANDORDERING RELEASE by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue: re Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus 1 . The Petition is GRANTED as to Count One, and the remaining count is dismissed without prejudice. Petitioner Bing Zou (A# 241-678-010) is ordered released on his prior conditions of release within 24 hours of this Order.”
“JUDGMENT by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue, IT IS ADJUDGED that the Amended Petition is granted as to Claim One under procedural due process. The remaining three claims are dismissed without prejudice.”
“The Petition is granted in part. Count Two of the Petition is granted and the Court orders forthwith release. ... the Court dismisses Counts One and Three without prejudice. ... For the foregoing reasons, Count Two of the Petition is granted, and Counts One and Three are dismissed without prejudice. The Court ORDERS Respondents to release Petitioner forthwith.”
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Judgment be entered reversing the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security and remanding this matter for further administrative proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
“JUDGMENT by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue: It is the judgment of this Court that the decision of the Administrative Law Judge is VACATED, and the matter is REMANDED to the Social Security Administration on an open record for further proceedings consistent with the Court's Order.”
“JUDGMENT by Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue. IT IS HEREBY ADJUDGED that the decision of the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration is affirmed and this action is dismissed with prejudice.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 393 days (N = 5).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 302 days (N = 3).
The reviewed recent assignments are dominated by pending alien-detainee habeas petitions filed in May and June 2026, which do not yet support timing or duration measures. Her merits docket also includes Social Security disability appeals decided with the parties' consent, along with civil-discovery referrals and criminal-duty matters.
Put Judge Donahue's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Donahue actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Donahue's own signed orders and cites them.