In a recent discovery dispute in Washington, U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola described himself as the new sheriff in town. “Not Gary Cooper, but me,” the judge declared in a ruling in June, referencing the 1952 film High Noon and its star.

Facciola urged the two sides to take up a cooperative discovery regimen, and he committed to working with them to resolve disagreements. The remarks picked up praise in electronic-discovery circles, where Facciola has long been a leading voice.