Any district judge may assign any matter, civil or criminal, to a magistrate judge of this
District to the full extent permitted by 28 U.S.C. § 636. Specifically included is the taking of
guilty pleas in felony cases with the consent of the defendant and recommending the acceptance
or rejection of such pleas to the district judge, and ordering a presentence investigation report.
The assignment and designation of duties to magistrate judges by district judges may be made by
written standing order entered jointly by the resident district judges of the District or of any
division of the District or through oral directive or written order by any individual district judge in
any case, cases, or category of cases assigned to that judge.
