Although it might be obvious to attorneys who routinely practice
in the federal courts, for those who do not, it is important that
specific and timely objections to a federal magistrate's report
and recommendation are filed to preserve review of those arguments
by both the district and appellate court. Federal Rule of Civil
Procedure 72 and 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1) provide that such
written objections are to be filed and served within 14
days after service of a copy of the recommended disposition.
The district court then conducts a de novo review of any
portion of the report and recommendation that has been properly
objected to. See id.
What constitutes a "proper objection"? As one district
court in Michigan recently observed, "it is not the job of the
Court to make arguments on [a party's] behalf"
– parties cannot simply make an "argument in the
most skeletal way, leaving the court to ... put flesh on its
bones." Sands v. Brennan, 2018 WL 4356650, at *2
(E.D. Mich.
