FILED
November 24, 2025
CLERK, U.S. DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
David Cano
BY: ________________________________
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DEPUTY
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
AUSTIN DIVISION
IN RE: COURT DOCKET MANAGEMENT §
§
FOR AUSTIN DIVISION §
ORDER
In accordance with the authority vested in the United States Magistrate Judge pursuant to
Rule 1 of the Local Rules for the Assignment of Duties to United States Magistrates, Appendix C of
the Local Court Rules of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, IT IS
ORDERED that, for cases assigned to Judge Pitman, the following matters shall be REFERRED
to a United States Magistrate Judge for the Austin Division, allocated pursuant to the Clerk of the
Court’s standard procedure, for the types of actions listed below:
1. All cases brought pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 2241, 2254 (excluding cases in which a sentence
of death was imposed), and 2255 (excluding cases in which a sentence of death was
imposed), cases brought by federal prisoners and detainees challenging conditions of
confinement, cases brought by prisoners pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and cases seeking
judicial review of social security decisions shall be assigned to a United States Magistrate
Judge for the Austin Division for disposition of all non-dispositive pretrial matters as
provided in 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A), and for findings and recommendations on all case-
dispositive motions as provided in 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B).
2. Any case in which application to proceed in forma pauperis has been made, other than a
case described in paragraph (1) above, shall be referred to a United States Magistrate Judge
for the Austin Division for disposition of the application to proceed in forma pauperis,
disposition of any motion for appointment of counsel, and for a prompt recommendation
as to whether the case should be dismissed as frivolous pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e).
Upon completion of the above tasks, the Magistrate Judge shall return the case to the
district court for further proceedings.
Additionally, for cases assigned to Judge Pitman, IT IS ORDERED that holding the initial
pretrial conference, and any subsequent conferences as necessary, in a civil or miscellaneous matter
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is REFERRED to the United States Magistrate Judge assigned to the case, to United States
Magistrate Judge Derek Gilliland for Waco patent cases assigned to Judge Pitman, or as otherwise
directed by the undersigned. To that end, a United States Magistrate Judge may schedule initial
pretrial conferences, enter orders regarding proposed scheduling orders, and enter other
nondispositive or case management orders to effectuate initial pretrial conferences in civil cases and
miscellaneous matters. The referral ends after the scheduling order has been entered.
This Order supersedes all prior Orders of this Court regarding the above-referenced matters
for the Austin Division.
SIGNED on November 24, 2025.
_____________________________________
ROBERT PITMAN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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