Hon. Timothy C. Batten, Sr. (Ret.), joins JAMS following his distinguished 19-year tenure as a United States District Court judge for the Northern District of Georgia, including four years as chief judge. Notably, he presided over Pearson v. Kemp, which alleged fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Judge Batten draws on not only the extensive legal background and analytical thinking he honed on the bench, but also the high emotional intelligence and genuine empathy that defined his judicial approach. These attributes position him to be an active listener, build trust and guide parties and counsel to more efficient and satisfactory alternative dispute resolution outcomes.

Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Batten practiced with Atlanta-based law firm Schreeder, Wheeler & Flint, where he was lead counsel in over 25 civil trials that went to verdict as well as co-counsel on dozens of other jury trials. His practice areas included medical malpractice, products liability, construction, commercial contracts, fraud and personal injury. Having tried or presided over scores of cases, Judge Batten looks forward to using his vast experience and exceptional communication skills to help disputing parties achieve equitable and judicious resolutions of their cases.

Beyond his judicial duties, Judge Batten has contributed to the legal community as a featured speaker for the American Conference Institute and the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section. He has also served as a jurist in residence at the University of Georgia School of Law, where he teaches a survey course, Introduction to the American Legal System.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• Completed 21-hour Mediator Training, State Bar of Georgia
• Conducted myriad pretrial conferences that led to settlement

Representative Matters

Judge Batten presided over numerous intellectual property, personal injury, business/commercial and insurance, securities, civil rights and class action/multidistrict litigation matters, including the following:

• Business Commercial
• Collins v. GKD Mgmt., LP, 697 F. Supp. 3d 1308 (N.D. Ga. 2024), clarified at 2024 WL 3551145 (N.D. Ga., June 24, 2024) (wrongful death action against trucking company, owners and driver of “escort vehicle” for tractor-trailer and company's surplus lines commercial business automobile insurer; summary judgment granted in part and denied in part)
• Nationwide Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Renaissance Bliss, LLC, 396 F. Supp. 3d 1287 (N.D. Ga. 2019), aff’d, 823 F. App’x 815 (11th Cir. 2020) (granting summary judgment for insurance company based on insureds’ failure to provide timely notice of claim as required by the policy)
• Damian for PFGBI, LLC v. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, 317 F. Supp. 3d 1228 (N.D. Ga. 2017) (granting summary judgment where any negligence by attorneys and law firm was too remote from company’s losses to be causally connected)
• Civil Rights/Title VII/42 U.S.C. 1983
• Robinson v. Heinze, 655 F. Supp. 3d 1276 (N.D. Ga. 2023) (granting defendants’ motion for judgment on the pleadings because a cause of action under Bivens did not extend to U.S. marshals), aff’d sub nom, Robinson v. Sauls, 102 F.4th 1337 (11th Cir. 2024)
• Pearson v. Kemp, No. 1:20-cv-4809 (N.D. Ga. 2020) (plaintiffs sought de-certification of the 2020 presidential election, an impound of all Georgia voting machines and an order requiring Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to transmit election results stating that Donald Trump was the winner of the election; after a hearing, Judge Batten denied all relief and dismissed the case; the Eleventh Circuit subsequently dismissed plaintiffs’ appeal of the district court’s entry of a temporary restraining order, 831 F. App’x 467 (11th Cir., Dec. 4, 2020))
• Ellison v. Hobbs, 334 F. Supp. 3d 1328 (N.D. Ga. 2018) (granting motion for summary judgment based on holding that fire department personnel who transported woman to hospital were entitled to qualified immunity, aff'd, 786 F. App'x 861 (11th Cir. 2019))
• Class Actions/Multidistrict Litigation
• In re Delta/AirTran Baggage Fee Antitrust Litigation, 245 F. Supp. 3d 1343 (2017) (multidistrict litigation case in which over a dozen class actions against Delta and AirTran Airlines were consolidated before Judge Batten; plaintiffs were seeking over $1 billion in damages for alleged antitrust violations; Judge Batten granted the airlines’ motions for summary judgment and was affirmed on appeal by the Eleventh Circuit) (“After careful review and with the benefit of oral argument, we affirm based on the well-reasoned decision of the district court, dated March 28, 2017.”), Siegel v. Delta Air Lines, Inc., 714 F. App’x 986 (11th Cir. 2018)
• Runzi v. Synchrony Bank, 713 F. Supp. 3d 1360 (N.D. Ga. 2024) (denying defendant’s motion to compel arbitration finding that the alleged Telephone Consumer Protection Act violation did not arise from or relate to the agreement between the parties), appeal dismissed, 2024 WL 3504462 (11th Cir. May 7, 2024)
• Aquino v. Mobis Ala., LLC, 739 F. Supp. 3d 1152 (N.D. Ga. 2024) (granting in part and denying in part motions to dismiss upon finding that plaintiffs failed to state a claim under federal and Georgia RICO acts in connection with two of three alleged enterprises)
• McCabe v. Daimler AG, 948 F. Supp. 2d 1347 (N.D. Ga. 2013) (granting in part and denying in part motion to dismiss putative class action)
• Intellectual Property
• Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Nutrition Resource Servs., Inc., 717 F. Supp. 3d 1318 (N.D. Ga. 2024), aff’d, 2024 WL 4973107 (11th Cir., Dec. 4, 2024) (granting motion for preliminary injunction for trademark infringement)
• Acceleron, LLC v. Dell, Inc., 2022 WL 1087683, No. 1:12-cv-4123 (N.D. Ga., Mar. 7, 2022), aff’d, 2023 WL 4503189, No. 2022-1620 (Fed. Cir., July 13, 2023) (denying plaintiff’s motion for new trial following two-week patent infringement jury trial)
• Reinalt-Thomas Corp. v. Mavis Tire Supply, LLC, 391 F. Supp. 3d 1261 (N.D. Ga. 2019) (granting preliminary injunction where trademark owner was likely to succeed on the merits of its infringement claim)
• Ewe Grp., Inc. v. Bread Store, LLC, 54 F. Supp. 3d 1343 (N.D. Ga. 2014) (granting motion for preliminary injunction for trademark and trade dress infringement)
• Dixie Consumer Prods. LLC v. Huhtamaki Americas, Inc., 691 F. Supp. 2d 1372 (N.D. Ga. 2010) (granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment based on functionality of manufacturer’s trade dress (Dixie cups))
• Personal Injury
• Dougherty v. Harvey, 317 F. Supp. 3d 1287 (N.D. Ga. 2018) (order denying in part summary judgment in libel action because defendant’s statements were in fact defamatory)
• Curtis v. United States, 274 F. Supp. 3d 1366 (N.D. Ga. 2017) (judgment in favor of plaintiff’s decedent in crashed aircraft case where emergency doctrine was established by plaintiff)
• Ivy Ford Motor Co., 2010 WL 9115838, No. 1:08-cv-2078 (N.D. Ga., Jan. 22, 2010) (granting summary judgment to auto manufacturer in Ford Excursion rollover product liability action)
• Moody Ford Motor Co., No. 1:05-cv-1945 (N.D. Ga., Jan. 23, 2007) (denying summary judgment to auto manufacturer in Ford Excursion rollover products liability wrongful death action)
• Securities
• Urvan v. TVP Ventures, LLC, No. 1:20-cv-153-TCB, 2021 WL 8648896 (N.D. Ga. March 25, 2021) (granting motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ securities fraud claims because of plaintiffs’ failure to adequately plead a materially misleading omission, a strong inference of scienter and loss causation)
• Damian v. Montgomery Cnty. Bankshares, Inc., 255 F. Supp. 3d 1265 (N.D. Ga. 2015) (granting motions to dismiss plaintiff’s federal securities law claims and state law fraud claims based on plaintiff’s insufficient pleadings of a material misstatement or omission, a strong inference of scienter and loss causation)
• Sec. & Exch. Comm’n v. New Day Atlanta, LLC, No. 1:10-cv-1333-TCB, 2013 WL 11904691 (N.D. Ga. Aug. 1, 2013) (granting summary judgment on issues of disgorgement, prejudgment interest and civil penalties in SEC securities fraud case based on allegations of unregistered offering of securities)

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Memberships and Affiliations

• Member, U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on Codes of Judicial Conduct, 2020–2023
• Board of Directors, Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award, 2011–2025
• Jurist in Residence, University of Georgia School of Law, 2018–2023
• Speaker, American Conference Institute, 2009–2018
  • Presented on topics including aviation, antitrust and civil trial practice
• Board of Trustees, Georgia State University School of Law, 2009–2017

Background and Education

• United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, 2006–2025
  • Chief Judge, 2021–2025
  • Judge, 2006–2021
• Schreeder, Wheeler & Flint, 1984–2006
  • Partner, 1993–2006
  • Associate, 1984–1993
• J.D., cum laude, University of Georgia School of Law, 1984
• B.S., summa cum laude, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1981