SCOPE OF MAGISTRATE JUDGES' RULES
GENERAL AUTHORITY
(a) General Applicability. Local Rules 300 through 399 govern the discharge
of duties by the United States Magistrate Judges in the Eastern District of California in all
actions. The Rules are promulgated pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(4) and are intended
to amplify the provisions of Chapter 43 of Title 28 of the United States Code and the
Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure (including the Supplemental Rules for
Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions). Proceedings before
Magistrate Judges are also governed by L.R. 100 through 199 and such other Rules as
may be applicable to the particular action.
(b) Definitions. As used in these Magistrate Judges' Rules:
(1) "Magistrate Judge" means both the full-time Magistrate Judges and
the part-time Magistrate Judges sitting in the Eastern District of California.
(2) "General pretrial matters" means all pretrial matters as to which the
standard of review is the "clearly erroneous or contrary to law" standard set forth in 28
U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A). See Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(a).
(3) "Excepted pretrial matters" means all pretrial matters as to which de
novo review by a Judge is available. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b).
