--- title: "Donald C. Nugent | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donald-c-nugent" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Donald C. Nugent U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio - State: Ohio - Role: Judge - Service status: senior - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official judge-specific and circuitwide procedural guidance has been located for this profile. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, N.D. Ohio, 1995-present - Judge, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth Appellate District, 1993-1995 - Elected as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas from 1985 to 1992, followed by service on the Eighth District Ohio Court of Appeals from 1993 to 1995 - Assistant prosecutor, Cuyahoga County, OH, 1975-1985 - Assistant prosecutor, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, 1975-1985 - Private practice, Cuyahoga County, OH, 1974-1985 - Began his legal career in private practice in Cuyahoga County, Ohio from 1974 to 1985 and simultaneously held the role of an assistant prosecuting attorney from 1975 to 1985 ### Education - He then attended Cleveland State University College of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1974, and later obtained a Master of Judicial Studies from the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1994 - Cleveland-Marshall College of Law — J.D. (1974) - Xavier University, Ohio — B.A. (1970) ### Additional information - In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit removed Judge Nugent from a First Amendment case involving Cleveland physicians who challenged a state restriction on campaign contributions, citing that he was "hostile and biased" toward the plaintiffs. - President Bill Clinton nominated Nugent to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on April 27, 1995, to fill the seat vacated by Thomas Demetrios Lambros. - U.S. Marine Corps, 1970-1971 - United States Marine Corps (1970–1971) - Donald Clark Nugent was born on March 7, 1948, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. - Date of birth: 1948-01-01 - received his commission the same day. - Judge Donald C. Nugent has had a long and distinguished career in both state and federal courts, with experience spanning private practice, prosecutorial work, and judicial service at multiple levels. - Birth place: Minneapolis, MN ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### courtroom technology Scope: judge specific Judge-specific source Evidence excerpt: If, however, a witness would otherwise be unavailable to testify in person, permission may be sought from the Court and may be granted if the request is justified by sufficient cause. Courtroom Technology Any party that wishes to familiarize themselves with the presentation equipment and other technology available for use in the courtroom prior to… [C:\Documents and Settings\lucks\Local Settings\Temp\notesFFF692\NEW JURY TRIAL ORDER 2010.wpd](https://www.ohnd.uscourts.gov/sites/ohnd/files/DCN-civiljurytrialorder.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### presentation procedure Scope: judge specific Judge-specific source Evidence excerpt: Prior to trial, counsel for the parties are also directed to complete the following: 1. In the event that demonstrative evidence, such as models or sketches, are intended to be used at trial, counsel are ordered to exchange this evidence no later than two (2) days prior to the date of trial. 2. [S:\Forms\CRIMINAL\crimtrl.ord.wpd](https://www.ohnd.uscourts.gov/sites/ohnd/files/DCN-criminaltrialorder.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385856) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385856) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385856) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2437/donald-c-nugent/) - [C:\Documents and Settings\lucks\Local Settings\Temp\notesFFF692\NEW JURY TRIAL ORDER 2010.wpd](https://www.ohnd.uscourts.gov/sites/ohnd/files/DCN-civiljurytrialorder.pdf) - [S:\Forms\CRIMINAL\crimtrl.ord.wpd](https://www.ohnd.uscourts.gov/sites/ohnd/files/DCN-criminaltrialorder.pdf) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2437/donald-c-nugent/) - [Judge Donald C. Nugent](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385856) - [Wikidata: Donald C. Nugent](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5294113) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donald-c-nugent", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donald-c-nugent", "name": "Donald C. Nugent | KnowJudges", "description": "Donald C. Nugent, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donald-c-nugent#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donald-c-nugent#judge", "name": "Donald C. 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Nugent", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/donald-c-nugent" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 89 | 4 | Not available | 4 | | 2y | 195 | 52 | 2.7 | 52 | | 5y | 424 | 264 | 4.2 | 264 | | 10y | 1322 | 1162 | 5.5 | 1162 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.