United States District Court
District of Connecticut
FILJED AT BRIDGEPORT
8/27 ,20 24
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER RE: CASE ASSIGNMENT
This Order describes certain rules and procedures regarding the distribution of civil and
criminal cases in this District.
I. Civil Assignment: The District of Connecticut uses an automated case assignment system
that assigns District Judges and Magistrate Judges in a random sequence from one district-wide
deck. Both a District Judge and a Magistrate Judge will be randomly assigned to each new civil
case when it is initially filed. Once a Magistrate Judge is randomly assigned to a case, the
District Judge may file orders of referral of non-settlement pretrial matters to the Magistrate
Judge as the District Judge sees fit. Once there is a referral, the same Magistrate Judge will
receive all future referred matters in that case, except settlement conferences. The Magistrate
Judge randomly assigned to the case when it is initially filed will not receive the case for
settlement.
II. Criminal Assignment: The District of Connecticut uses an automated case assignment
system for criminal cases that randomly assigns District Judges and Magistrate Judges in a
random sequence from one district-wide deck.
III. Related Cases: Cases identified by a litigant in a civil case, or by the prosecution or
defense in a criminal case, as “related” to another pending case shall nevertheless be assigned to
a District Judge or Magistrate Judge in the regular rotation in the normal course. The District
Judge or Magistrate Judge shall thereafter determine, either sua sponte or on motion, whether the
assertedly “related” case shall be transferred to the docket of a District Judge or Magistrate Judge
having an earlier filed, “related” case.
SO ORDERED.
Dated at Hartford, Connecticut this 27th day of August 2024.
/s/ Michael P. Shea
Michael P. Shea
Chief United States District Judge
