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RICHARD W. rL:\i~t:...
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT "';:·:·,
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF 28 PM 2: 59 oiio
In Re:
ASSIGNMENT AND REFERENCE OF
PRISONER CASES TO MAGISTRATE JUDGES GENERAL ORDER 22-05
IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
On December 10, 2021, the District Judges adopted the recommendations made by the
Magistrate Judge Workload Committee in its November 10, 2021 Report. This General Order is
entered to implement those recommendations as they pertain to cases filed by imprisoned
litigants.
(1) Habeas Corpus Cases: All non-capital cases filed on or after February 1, 2022, and
seeking relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 or§ 2254 shall be assigned to a District Judge
resident at the seat of court where the case is filed and randomly assigned to one of the
District's full-time Magistrate Judges or to recalled Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz.
Each such case is hereby referred to the assigned Magistrate Judge for all purposes
including deciding any matters classified by law as non-dispositive and filing a report and
recommendation on all matters classified by law as dispositive.
(2) Cases Under 28 U.S.C. § 2255: Cases seeking relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 shall not,
on or after February 1, 2022, be referred to a United States Magistrate Judge. Cases
under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 that have been referred to a Magistrate Judge prior to February 1,
2022, shall continue to be referred unless the assigned District Judge withdraws the
reference.
(3) Pro Se Prisoner Civil Rights Cases: All civil rights cases file prose by imprisoned
litigants on or after February 1, 2022, shall be assigned randomly to one of the District
Judges resident at the seat of court where the case is filed and randomly to one of the
District's full-time Magistrate Judges. Each such case is hereby referred to the assigned
Magistrate Judge for all purposes including deciding any matters classified by law as
non-dispositive and filing a report and recommendation on all matters classified by law
as dispositive.
The Magistrate Judge reference in all civil rights cases file prose by imprisoned litigants
and pending on February 1, 2022, shall be randomly transferred to another full-time
Magistrate Judge as needed to evenly balance the number of such references among the
full-time Magistrate Judges, provided that no such reference shall be transferred in any
case which (1) has a dispositive report and recommendation pending on that date or (2)
which has a pending motion which would be reportable under the Civil Justice Reform
Act if undecided by March 31, 2022.
(4) Effective Date: This General Order shall be effective February 1, 2022.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED: January 28, 2022
ALGEN L.M
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
