CLERK, U.S. DISTRICT COURT

FILED

FEB 20 2026

CLERK, U.S. DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EAST ST. LOUIS OFFICE

FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

IN RE: CASE ASSIGNMENTS. ) Administrative Order No. 428

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 February 20, 2026, the work of the Court shall be distributed as

set forth below.}

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 District Judge

Nancy J. Rosenstengel randomly and equally at 25 percent each. All new Benton criminal

cases shall be divided among the undersigned 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. This includes (1) any new civil action requesting declaratory judgment

and/or the imposition of a temporary restraining order or any form of injunctive relief,

1 This Administrative Order SUPERSEDES and VACATES Administrative Orders 408. For ease of

reference, all changes to case assignments in this Order are underlined.

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(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 pro se 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

US. 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 pro se 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 pro se 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

case will remain with the presiding district judge. At the district judge’s discretion, a

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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.

Newly filed Social Security cases (Nature of Suit Codes 861 through 865) will be

assigned to all active district and magistrate judges (consistent with 28 U.S.C. § 636)

randomly and in an equal manner. If initially assigned to a magistrate judge, upon entry

into a case, each party will receive 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 in a case, the case and jurisdiction

will remain with the magistrate judge assigned to the case. If 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. The Court will not send_a Notice and Consent to Proceed

Before a Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction form to cases initially assigned to a district judge.

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 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 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 initially assigned to a

district judge, the case will be randomly assigned to one of the 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. 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 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.

Judge-Specific Assignments

For judicial economy and efficiency reasons, the following judges shall preside

over certain cases:

e District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel shall continue to preside over

all cases involving the synthetic chemical compound Paraquat

Dichloride (MDL No. 3004).

e The undersigned 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.

e The undersigned shall continue to preside over all asbestos cases.

e 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 Il. Comp. Stat. 5/24-1.9,

criminalizing the manufacture, possession, delivery, sale, or

purchase of certain firearms.

Senior District Judge J. Phil Gilbert will not be assigned to newly filed class actions

until further order of the Court.

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

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 criminal or civil 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: February 20, 2026

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STACI M. YANDLE

Chief U.S. District Judge