July 2023
RULES AND PROCEDURES
JUDGE KAREN M. WILLIAMS
Chambers Deputy Clerk
United States District Court Nicole Ramos
Mitchell H. Cohen U.S. Courthouse (856) 757-5402
4th & Cooper Streets (for criminal matters)
Camden, New Jersey 08101
(856) 757-6843
Courtroom: 4A
Unless otherwise ordered, the following rules and procedures apply to all matters before this Court:
I. Civil Motion Practice
A. Motion Days and Oral Argument
The only purpose of a motion’s return date or “motion day” is to determine the
briefing schedule for that motion. The Court generally will not hear oral argument
on the return date. If the Court decides to hear oral argument on any issue, it will
advise counsel of the argument date.
B. Adjournments
All requests for adjournments or extensions of time, other than those pursuant to
Local Rule 7.1(d)(5), must comport with Local Rule 6.1 and include: (1) the date or
dates sought to be extended; (2) the number of previous requests for extensions and
the Court's rulings; (3) the reason for the current request; and (4) whether the
adversary consents and, if not, the reasons given by the adversary for refusing to
consent. If the requested extension affects any other scheduled dates, the request
must list the proposed change for all such other dates.
C. Exhibits
To the extent any party submits exhibits to support a motion, such exhibits shall be
clearly labeled, dated, tabbed, and indexed.
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II. Communications with Chambers
A. Letters
All communications with Chambers shall be by letter electronically filed via ECF.
No hard copies of letters shall be delivered to the Court. Pro se parties are exempt
from this requirement.
B. Criminal Matters
For criminal matters, please contact Courtroom Deputy Nicole Ramos at (856) 757-
5402 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
III. Submissions
A. Electronic submissions
All parties, with the exception of pro se parties, shall file all documents, in both civil
and criminal matters, via ECF. All papers electronically submitted shall, to the
extent possible, be submitted in a text-searchable PDF format.
B. Courtesy Copies
The parties shall provide courtesy copies of all briefs and supporting papers
consistent with Local Rule 7.1(g).
IV. Trial Practices
A. Pre-Trial Briefs or Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, and In Limine
Motions
Once the joint final pretrial order has been filed in a civil case, each party shall
submit any in limine motions at least three weeks before the start of trial. Any
responsive papers shall be submitted at least two weeks before the start of trial. Pre-
trial briefs or proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law shall only be filed at
the direction of the Court.
B. Witnesses
Judge Williams prefers all witness appear live at trial. Judge Williams will permit
videotaped testimony at trial provided that the witness is recorded against a blank
background. No videotaped testimony will be shown to a jury if there are any images,
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photos or certificates visible in the background of the witness. Witnesses should be
dressed in acceptable Courtroom attire.
C. Jury Selection
1. Jury Questionnaire
Counsel for all parties must confer with each other prior to trial and submit
a joint jury questionnaire three weeks before trial in hard copy form and via
email (
[email protected]). Any additional proposed
questions that could not be agreed upon should be submitted by the
propounding party to the Court at the same time.
2. Juror Voir Dire
At trial, prospective jurors will complete the juror questionnaire. Any
follow-up questions will be asked by Judge Williams.
3. Challenges for Cause and Peremptory Challenges
Challenges for cause and any Batson challenges will be heard at sidebar.
Peremptory challenges are exercised in writing with counsel marking
challenges on a sheet presented to them by the Courtroom Deputy.
Peremptory challenges are exercised in turn, with each side exercising one
challenge at a time. In the event there are two passes in succession, the
process ends. A pass is otherwise considered a forfeited peremptory
challenge.
The Courtroom Deputy or the Judge will announce any excused jurors.
D. Jury Charges
Counsel for all parties must confer with each other prior to trial and submit joint
requests to charge two weeks before trial in hard copy form and via email
(
[email protected]) in Word format. Any additional proposed
charges that could not be agreed upon should be submitted by the propounding
party to the Court at the same time. Judge Williams will generally charge the jury
before counsel make their closing arguments. The jurors will be provided with a
written copy of the jury charge. Counsel are to delineate in their submissions
charges they wish to be given before trial, including a joint preliminary statement
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of the case, and charges they wish to be given at the close of trial. Counsel shall
cite to the applicable authority for each proposed charge if the charge differs from
the Third Circuit Model Charge.
E. Verdict Sheet
Counsel for all parties must confer with each other prior to trial and submit a joint
verdict sheet two weeks before trial in hard copy form and via email
(
[email protected]) in Word format. If counsel cannot agree on a
joint verdict sheet, counsel shall separately submit proposed verdict sheets in the
same manner.
F. Exhibits
All parties are required in advance of trial to digitize all evidence expected to be
used at trial. When introduced into evidence, the exhibit is downloaded onto a
dedicated server. During deliberations each juror will review the admitted
evidence with an iPad which can only access the dedicated server. Counsel is
encouraged in advance of trial to become familiar with the electronic equipment
available from the Court.
Judge Williams does not send weapons, narcotics, currency, and the like into the
jury room. If jurors wish to see such an exhibit during deliberations, they are
permitted to do so in the emptied courtroom with only a Deputy Marshal present.
The prosecuting attorney and/or investigating agency is generally required to
maintain custody of exhibits such as weapons, narcotics, or currency during trial.
If counsel intends to use electronic demonstrative evidence at trial, notice should
be given to the Courtroom Deputy and all parties as soon as possible.
G. Juror Note Taking
Judge Williams may allow juror note taking and will discuss with counsel prior to
trial.
H. Juror Questioning
Judge Williams may, if all parties agree, permit jurors to submit questions for
witnesses to the Court to be posed to witnesses in civil cases only.
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V. Additional Preferences
A. Criminal Cases
Judge Williams does not permit the defendant or counsel to review the Probation
Department’s recommendation as to sentencing.
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