UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
IN THE MATTER OF AMENDMENT Administrative Order
TO LOCAL CIVIL RULE 47.1 and No. 24-RL-009
LOCAL CRIMINAL RULE 24.1
_________________________________/
At a regular meeting of the Judges of this Court conducted on December 8, 2023, the Court
approved modifications to Local Civil Rule 47.1 and Local Criminal Rule 24.1, adding a
subsection regarding confidentiality of juror information as it relates to the name or signature of
jurors. The rule amendments are attached to this order. Accordingly:
NOW THEREFORE, under 28 U.S.C. § 2071, Rule 83 of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, the Court hereby adopts and promulgates the attached amended Local Civil Rule 47.1
and Local Criminal Rule 24.1.
IT IS ORDERED that the foregoing amendment shall take effect immediately, because it
does not affect substantive or procedural rights and will afford immediate improvement to the
record keeping of this Court. See 28 U.S.C. § 2071(e). Any member of the public may, however,
submit a comment in writing to the Clerk of the Court by mail or electronically to
[email protected], within 30 days of the date of this order. The Court will consider all
comments and determine whether further amendments to the Rules are required.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall provide a copy of this
Administrative Order to the Judicial Council of the Sixth Circuit; the U.S. District Court’s
Advisory Committee on Local Rules; the Federal Bar Association, West Michigan Chapter; and
the State Bar of Michigan Committee on the United States Courts. All attorneys who are registered
for electronic service on the CMECF system shall be given electronic notice of this rule
amendment, and the official rules posted on the Court’s website will be amended accordingly.
FOR THE COURT:
Dated: February 15, 2024
HALA Y. JARBOU
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
LCivR 47.1 Confidentiality of juror information
47.1 Confidentiality of juror information
(a) All information obtained from juror questionnaires is confidential and may be used only for
jury selection and in accordance with this rule.
(b) All copies of juror questionnaires must be destroyed or returned to the court upon
completion of jury selection, or at any earlier time determined by the court.
(c) For represented parties, counsel of record is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality
and security of juror questionnaires, and must apply security practices no less stringent
than those applicable to confidential client information. Unrepresented parties may use
juror questionnaires only under supervision of the court, and may not reproduce the juror
questionnaires in any form, or distribute them to anyone.
(d) Juror questionnaires will be electronically filed under restricted access three (3) business
days before trial. Electronic access will be available to the court and counsel of record only.
The court will provide unrepresented parties with one paper copy of the juror questionnaires
at the beginning of jury selection. Juror questionnaires will not be available via mail or
facsimile transmission.
(e) Documents containing the name or signature of a juror shall be filed under restricted
access. Electronic access will be available to the court and counsel of record only. Such
restricted access documents may include but are not limited to a jury verdict or juror notes
and attachments thereto. A duplicate jury verdict or juror notes, with the name and
signature of the juror redacted, will be electronically filed and available to the public.
LCrR 24.1 Confidentiality of juror information
24.1 Confidentiality of juror information
(a) All information obtained from juror questionnaires is confidential and may be used only for
jury selection and in accordance with this rule.
(b) All copies of juror questionnaires must be destroyed or returned to the court upon
completion of jury selection, or at any earlier time determined by the court.
(c) For represented parties, counsel of record is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality
and security of juror questionnaires, and must apply security practices no less stringent
than those applicable to confidential client information. Unrepresented parties may use
juror questionnaires only under supervision of the court, and may not reproduce the juror
questionnaires in any form, or distribute them to anyone.
(d) Juror questionnaires will be electronically filed under restricted access three (3) business
days before trial. Electronic access will be available to the court and counsel of record only.
The court will provide unrepresented parties with one paper copy of the juror questionnaires
at the beginning of jury selection. Juror questionnaires will not be available via mail or
facsimile transmission.
(e) Documents containing the name or signature of a juror shall be filed under restricted
access, with electronic access available to the court and counsel of record only. Such
restricted access documents may include but are not limited to a jury verdict, juror notes
and attachments thereto, as well as an indictment. A duplicate jury verdict, juror notes, or
indictment, with the name and signature of the juror redacted, will be electronically filed and
available to the public unless otherwise sealed by court order.
