FILED
JUL U8 i!JLd
CLERK, U.S. D1s·~1~11:i COURT
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN OISTR!CT OF ILLi~Dr3
EAST ST. LC.;;$ c.r=FiC:
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
IN RE: CASE ASSIGNMENTS. ) Administrative Order No. 408
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
To ensure the Court's docket is handled efficiently and expeditiously and as part
of the district's ongoing effort to equalize the distribution of cases, in accordance with
28 U.S.C. § 137, effective July 8, 2025, the work of the Court shall be distributed as set
forth below .1
Criminal Assignments
All new East St. Louis criminal cases shall be divided among the undersigned,
District Judge David W. Dugan, District Judge Stephen P. McGlynn, and Senior District
Judge J. Phil Gilbert randomly and equally at 25 percent each. All new Benton criminal
cases shall be divided among District Judge Staci M. Yandle and Senior District Judge J.
Phil Gilbert randomly and equally.
Civil Assignments
Except as specified below, all civil cases will be assigned randomly and equally to
all district judges at 15 percent each. Senior U.S. District Judge J. Phil Gilbert shall receive
40 percent of these assignments. This includes (1) any new civil action requesting
declaratory judgment and/ or the imposition of a temporary restraining order or any
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This Administrative Order SUPERSEDES and VACATES Administrative Orders 402 (including revised
Administrative Order 402 dated May 21, 2025) and 404. For ease of reference, all changes to case
assignments in this Order are underlined.
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form of injunctive relief, (2) forfeiture and seizure cases (Nature of Suit Codes 625 and
690), (3) bankruptcy appeals (Nature of Suit Codes 422 and 423), and (4) foreclosure cases
(Nature of Suit Code 220).
Newly filed non-prisoner prose civil cases, habeas cases (Nature of Suit Codes 463,
510,530 and 535) and prisoner cases (Nature of Suit Codes 540,550,555, and 560), shall
also be assigned equally and randomly to all district judges with one exception. Senior
U.S. District Judge J. Phil Gilbert will be assigned all newly filed prisoner cases brought
under Nature of Suit Codes 540, 550, 555, and 560 and naming employees of the Bureau
of Prisons or any county jail and/ or those institutions as defendant(s). Upon entry into a
case, each party in a newly filed non-prisoner prose civil case, habeas case, or prisoner
case will be sent a Notice and Consent to Proceed Before a Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction
form regarding consenting to the jurisdiction of one of the district's three magistrate
judges. The Clerk's Office shall not send a Notice and Consent to Proceed Before a
Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction form in prisoner cases brought under Nature of Suit Codes
540, 550, 555, and 560 and naming employees of and/or the Bureau of Prisons as
defendant(s). Each party will be given 21 days to file the completed form indicating
consent or non-consent to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge conducting all
proceedings, including trial and entry of final judgment in accordance with 28 U.S.C.
§ 636(c). Upon the consent of all parties in a case, and only if a non-prisoner prose civil
case or habeas corpus case survives threshold review, the case will be randomly and
equally assigned to a magistrate judge for all further proceedings consistent with
28 U.S.C. § 636(c). If all parties do not consent to the magistrate judge's jurisdiction, the
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case will remain with the presiding district judge. At the district judge's discretion, a
motion or matter may be specifically referred to a magistrate judge or a special master in
accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 636(b)(1)-(3) and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 53.
Subsequent consents by all parties to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge will not be
accepted.
All newly filed Social Security cases (Nature of Suit Codes 861 through 865) will
be assigned only to the district's magistrate judges (consistent with 28 U.S.C. § 636)
randomly and in an equal manner. Upon entry into a case, each party will be sent a Notice
and Consent to Proceed Before a Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction form regarding consenting
to the jurisdiction of one of the district's three magistrate judges. Each party will be given
21 days to file the completed form indicating consent or non-consent to the jurisdiction
of the assigned magistrate judge conducting all proceedings, including trial and entry of
final judgment in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). Upon the consent of all parties, the
case and jurisdiction will remain with the magistrate judge assigned to the case. ff all
parties do not consent to the magistrate judge's jurisdiction, the case will be randomly
assigned to a district judge for all further proceedings. At a district judge's discretion, a
motion or matter may be specifically referred to the previously assigned magistrate judge
or a special master in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 636(b)(l)-(3) and Federal Rule of Civil
Procedure 53. Subsequent consents by all parties to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge
will not be accepted.
Additionally, the Clerk of Court shall reassign the 15 cases identified in
Attachment A to a magistrate judge. All deadlines and schedules previously set shall
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remain in effect unless and until reset by the transferee judge. Should parties in a Social
Security case filed in this district prior to the effective date of this Order voluntarily
consent to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge, the Clerk's Office is ordered to enter a
notice acknowledging the parties' consent but shall not reassign the case at that time.
All newly filed non-prisoner, non-pro se civil cases shall be assigned to all district
and magistrate judges (consistent with 28 U.S.C. § 636) randomly and in an equal manner.
Upon entry into a case, each party will be sent a Notice and Consent to Proceed Before a
Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction form regarding consenting to the jurisdiction of one of the
district's three magistrate judges. Each party will be given 21 days to file the completed
form indicating consent or non-consent to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge
conducting all proceedings, including trial and entry of final judgment in accordance
with 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). Upon the consent of all parties in a case, the case and jurisdiction
will remain with the magistrate judge assigned to the case or, if initi~lly assigned to a
district judge, the case will be randomly assigned to one of the district's three magistrate
judges. If all parties do not consent to the magistrate judge's jurisdiction, the case will
remain with the assigned district judge or, if initially assigned to a magistrate judge, the
case will be randomly assigned to a district judge for all further proceedings. The
undersigned and District Judge Staci M. Yandle, District Judge Stephen P. McGlynn, and
District Judge David W Dugan will each randomly receive 15 percent of these
assignments; Senior U.S. District Judge J. Phil Gilbert will randomly receive 40 percent of
these assignments. At the district judge's discretion, a motion or matter may be
specifically referred to the previously assigned magistrate judge or a special master in
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accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 636(b)(l}-(3) and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 53.
Subsequent consents by all parties to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge will not be
accepted.
Judge-Specific Assignments
Senior District Judge J. Phil Gilbert will not be assigned to newly filed Employee
Retirement Income Security Act cases (Nature of Suit Code 791), Products Liability cases
(Nature of Suit Codes 195, 245, 315, 345, 355, 365, 367, 368, and 385), Federal Tort Claim
Act cases pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1346, Social Security matters (Nature of Suit Codes 861
through 865), or class actions until further order of the Court.
For judicial economy and efficiency reasons, the following judges shall preside
over certain cases:
• The undersigned shall continue to preside over all cases involving
the synthetic chemical compound Paraquat Dichloride (MDL
No. 3004).
• District Judge Staci M. Yandle shall continue to preside over all cases
filed against Honeywell International, Inc., alleging personal injury
and/ or property damage from hazardous gas emitting from a plant
in Metropolis, Illinois.
• District Judge Staci M. Yandle shall continue to preside over all
asbestos cases.
• District Judge Stephen P. McGlynn shall continue to preside over all
newly filed civil cases challenging the legality and/or
constitutionality of Illinois statute 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/24-1.9,
criminalizing the manufacture, possession, delivery, sale, or
purchase of certain firearms.
Any civil case currently assigned to a former or retired magistrate judge shall be
reassigned among the district's three magistrate judges equally and randomly. Any
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criminal case currently assigned to a former or retired magistrate judge shall be
reassigned to the duty magistrate judge. Any cases assigned to retired District Judge
Michael J. Reagan shall be reassigned to District Judge Stephen P. McGlynn; any cases
assigned to retired District Judge David R. Herndon shall be reassigned to District Judge
David W. Dugan. All other cases assigned to former or retired district judges shall be
reassigned among the district judges equally and randomly, unless otherwise noted in
this order.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED: July 8, 2025
NANCY J. ROSENSTENGEL
Chief U.S. District Judge
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ATTACHMENT A
CASE NUMBER CASENAME DIRECT ASSIGN TO
THE FOLLOWING
MAGISTRATE
JUDGE
24-cv-2443-SMY Heiden v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Sison
Social Security
24-cv-2453-NJR Ragsdale v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Beatty
Social Security
24-cv-2460-SPM Taylor v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Sison
Social Security
24-cv-2461-DWD Schrader v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Daly
Social Security
24-cv-02704-SMY McHughes v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Sison
Social Security
25-cv-00028-SPM Beggs v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Daly
Social Security
25-cv-00232-SPM Wiley v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Daly
Social SecurittJ
25-cv-00289-SMY Knight v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Sison
Social Security
25-cv-00375-DWD Rachel v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Daly
Social SecurihJ
25-cv-430-NJR Dow v. Commissioner of Social Magistrate Judge Beatty
SecurihJ
25-cv-00543-SMY May v. Commissioner of Social Magistrate Judge Beatty
Security
25-cv-00671-NJR Horton v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Daly
Social Security •
25-cv-00854-NJR Walker v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Beatty
Social Security
25-cv-01039-DWD Robinson v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Sison
Social SecurihJ
25-cv-01113-SMY Counsell v. Commissioner of Magistrate Judge Beatty
Social Security
