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Judge Keli M. Neary
United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Biographical Information
For additional information, please call Chambers at: (717) 221-3960
Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy:
(717) 221-3930
Chambers:
(717) 221-3960
Judge Tabs
Communication
Written correspondence from counsel to the court.
Judge Neary does not accept any written correspondence unless specifically directed by the court, in which case, counsel may correspond with her, provided all counsel are copied. Counsel should not copy the court on correspondence between one another unless specifically directed by the court.
All requests for court action on a pending matter other than discovery disputes shall be presented by motion in compliance with the
Middle District of Pennsylvania Local Rules
. Discovery disputes should be raised by written correspondence filed to the docket in the subject case in lieu of a formal motion practice.
Participation of young/junior attorneys:
To assist in training the next generation of attorneys, Judge Neary actively encourages the participation of less experienced attorneys in all proceedings, including pretrial conferences, discovery conferences, oral arguments, and examinations of witnesses at trial or other evidentiary hearings. This is particularly so when the junior attorney is familiar with the matter under consideration and/or played a substantial role in drafting the underlying filing or in preparing the relevant witness. Judge Neary is amenable to allowing more than one attorney to argue if it creates an opportunity for a junior lawyer to participate. At the very least, junior lawyers should be permitted to introduce themselves to Judge Neary.
In the event a junior lawyer handles a proceeding, however, they must have the authority to bind the party they represent consistent with the proceedings (for example, by agreeing to a briefing schedule or case management deadlines), and should be prepared to address any matters likely to arise during the proceeding. The ultimate decision of who speaks on behalf of the client is for the lawyer in charge of the case, not for the court.
Preferences for the use of telephone conferences rather than in-person conferences for any category of conferences scheduled in connection with a case.
Judge Neary generally conducts case management, status, and discovery conferences by telephone. She conducts settlement conferences and pre-trial conferences in person.
Inquiries.
Any inquiries concerning cases should be directed to chambers at (717) 221-3960.
Copies of Papers
Courtesy copies of motions, briefs, and other writings for chambers.
Courtesy copies are unnecessary and should not be delivered to chambers unless specifically requested.
Motions
All motions and briefs must be filed in accordance with the
Middle District of Pennsylvania Local Rules
and the court’s case management orders. Failure to comply with the Local Rules and court orders will result in the motions being denied.
Discovery Motions
Judge Neary expects counsel to make all reasonable efforts to resolve discovery disputes without court involvement. Counsel is to raise any discovery dispute with the court through the filing of a letter on the docket describing the nature of the dispute and requesting a conference with the court. Judge Neary will attempt to resolve the dispute without the necessity of a motion.
Proposed Orders
When filing a proposed order with a motion, include a heading as “Order” rather than “Proposed Order” or “[Proposed] Order.” The court is advised of the “proposed” status of a party’s order by virtue of CM/ECF functions.
Trial
Counsel are expected to review and comply with the court’s case-specific practice order and the
Middle District of Pennsylvania Local Rules
. For questions that are not answered by reference to these sources, counsel should speak with Judge Neary's Courtroom Deputy.
V
oir Dire
Judge Neary conducts initial voir dire in all civil and criminal cases.
Multiple Attorneys
Judge Neary allows more than one attorney to handle a case for a party but expects only one attorney for each witness and for opening and closing statements.
Jury Instructions and Special Verdict Forms
Jury instructions should be based on the Third Circuit and Pennsylvania model and standard instructions. Judge Neary requires that counsel jointly prepare an agreed-upon special verdict slip.
Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann
Judge Jennifer P. Wilson
Judge Julia K. Munley
Judge Karoline Mehalchick
Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.
Judge Keli M. Neary
Judge Yvette Kane
Judge Robert D. Mariani
Judge Malachy E. Mannion
Chief Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom
Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab
Magistrate Judge Phillip Caraballo
Magistrate Judge Leo A. Latella
Magistrate Judge Sean A. Camoni
Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson (Recalled)
