FINAL PRETRIAL ORDER IN CIVIL TRIAL CASES
In all civil jury trials scheduled before Judge Coleman, the parties must jointly prepare and
submit a Final Pretrial Order. In each case, the Court will set the date in advance of the trial (a
minimum of two weeks before trial) on which the parties must file the Final Pretrial Order.
The Final Pretrial Order (including the Court’s courtesy copy) must include the following items:
1. Jurisdiction
A statement of the basis for the Court’s jurisdiction.
2. Trial Attorneys
A list of the attorneys trying the case, including business addresses and telephone
numbers.
3. Case Statement
A concise agreed statement of the case, including: the nature of the case; the
claims, counterclaims and cross-claims; and the defenses raised to those claims.
The Court will read this statement to the jury during voir dire.
4. Witness Lists
Separate lists for plaintiff and defendant providing the names of witnesses,
including expert witnesses, divided into the following three categories:
(a) witnesses who will be called to testify at trial;
(b) witnesses who may be called to testify at trial; and
(c) witnesses whose testimony a party will present by deposition or other
prior testimony, indicating whether the presentation will be by transcript
or video. The Court will read these lists to the jury during voir dire.
5. Exhibit Lists
A list by each side of all trial exhibits (including demonstratives, summaries or
other specially prepared exhibits), which includes the following:
(a) the exhibit number for each document;
(b) the date of the document;
(c) a brief description of the document;
(d) whether there is an objection to admission of the document and, if so, a
concise statement of the basis for the objections (e.g., Rule 402-relevance;
Rule 403-undue prejudice or confusion); and
(e) a concise statement of the asserted basis of admissibility.
6. Itemization of Damages
An itemization of damages and other relief sought.
7. Motions In Limine
All motions in limine must be filed with the pretrial order or on the date specified
by the Court. The parties are directed to meet and confer on all motions in limine
before filing them.
8. Proposed Voir Dire
The parties must file a joint document that includes:
(a) each party’s proposed voir dire questions; and
(b) each party’s objections, if any, to the voir dire questions proposed by
other parties.
9. Jury Instructions
The parties are instructed to meet and attempt to agree on jury instructions. The
parties must submit all agreed and proposed instructions with the Final Pretrial
Order.
Each proposed instruction must indicate the proponent of the instruction and
whether the instruction is agreed or disputed. The bottom of each instruction must
identify the legal authority supporting that instruction.
If an instruction is disputed, the grounds for the objection and any proposed
modification or alternate instruction must be concisely stated on the page
immediately following the disputed instruction; on the next immediate page, the
party proposing the instruction may state concisely the reasons supporting the
instruction as proposed.
10. Trial Briefs
The Court does not require trial briefs in jury trials. Any party who wishes to file
a trial brief must seek leave of the Court to do so.
Enter:
Sharon Johnson Coleman
United States District Judge
