Daniel J. Stewart
How Judge Stewart 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, recommends remand where the ALJ failed to analyze the supportability and consistency of medical opinions, while rejecting the claimant's meritless arguments.
“ORDERS that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings, Dkt. No. 11, is GRANTED ... the Commissioner's final decision is REVERSED and REMANDED”
Treats administrative exhaustion as a fact-sensitive inquiry: a rapid transfer after the incident can create a triable question about whether the grievance process was actually available.
“plaintiff’s filings raised a factual question as to exhaustion, including as to whether ‘the processing and/or the availability of the grievance process’ was available to him under the circumstances presented, i.e., when he was quickly transferred to a new facility within days of the alleged incident.”
In Social Security review, does not require an administrative law judge to expressly discuss every third-party statement when the decision otherwise shows that the evidence was considered.
“the relevant statutes ‘require . . . that the ALJ “consider” third-party statements but do not contain any articulation requirements.’”
Cautions
In prisoner Section 1983 cases, recommends summary judgment for the defendant where the plaintiff fails to establish personal involvement, applying Tangreti's elimination of supervisory-liability shortcuts.
“Defendants' motion for summary judgment is GRANTED; and 3. Plaintiff's operative complaint is DISMISSED.”
Enforces PLRA administrative exhaustion, recommending summary judgment for the defendant on unexhausted failure-to-protect claims.
“ORDERS that Defendants' motion for summary judgment, Dkt. No. 18, is GRANTED; and the Court further ORDERS that the Clerk shall enter judgment in Defendant's favor and close this case”
Limits discovery to the claims that remain in the case and will not compel production based only on speculation that additional documents exist, although he may require a party to describe the search it performed.
“The Court will not order ‘a party to produce that which does not exist,’ particularly where, as here, Plaintiff has not provided any ‘evidence of [D]efendant withholding . . . relevant documents it possesses’ in response to Request for Production No. 3.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Court accepts and adopts Magistrate Judge Stewart's Report-Recommendation in its entirety and denies Defendants' motions to dismiss, and the Court affirms Magistrate Judge Stewart's Order granting the Government's Application for a Prejudgment Writ of Attachment in the amount of $875,000.00”
“ORDERS that Plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings, Dkt. No. 11, is GRANTED ... the Commissioner's final decision is REVERSED and REMANDED”
“ORDERS that the Commissioner's motion for judgment on the pleadings, Dkt. No. 15, is DENIED”
“Defendants' motion for summary judgment is GRANTED; and 3. Plaintiff's operative complaint is DISMISSED.”
“ORDERED that the Petition (Dkt. No. 1) is DENIED and DISMISSED; and it is further ORDERED that a certificate of appealability not issue”
“ORDERS that Defendants' motion for summary judgment, Dkt. No. 18, is GRANTED; and the Court further ORDERS that the Clerk shall enter judgment in Defendant's favor and close this case”
“Defendants’ motion for summary judgment and partial motion to dismiss (Dkt. No. 27) is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part; ... Plaintiff’s § 1983 conspiracy claims against defendants Matthie, Rushlow, and Ramie are DISMISSED”
“Defendants’ motion for summary judgment on exhaustion grounds is DENIED”
“ORDERED, that Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel Discovery (Dkt. No. 61) is DENIED as set forth above”
“ORDERED, that Plaintiff’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is DENIED”
“ORDERED, that Defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is GRANTED”
“ORDERED, that that the Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. No. 35) is DENIED”
“ORDERED, that the Motion for a Default Judgment (Dkt. No. 23) is DENIED”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Stewart's sampled civil docket is dominated by Social Security disability appeals, alongside criminal-duty matters involving complaints and applications for tax or search records. The duration figures cover twelve terminated Social Security cases filed in 2020 and measure filing to termination, not the time taken to decide a motion.
Put Judge Stewart's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Stewart actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Stewart's own signed orders and cites them.