IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
BEAUMONT AND LUFKIN DIVISIONS
STANDING ORDER RC-47
MOCK TRIALS, FOCUS GROUPS, OR SIMILAR STUDIES
The venire for the trial of civil and criminal cases is drawn from the counties comprising
the Division for the Eastern District of Texas in which the cases are pending. The parties to some
cases, primarily complex civil cases, sometimes conduct mock trials, focus groups, or similar
studies in preparation for the trials of such cases. Participation in such studies may be a basis for
disqualification from jury service due to an extrajudicial, and sometimes erroneous, view of the
facts of the case or the law to be applied. The court needs to be advised of any such study in
advance of the final pre-trial conference so that it may consider whether to summon a larger
panel of prospective jurors for voir dire.
Therefore, it is ORDERED that in all cases assigned to the Honorable Ron Clark, if a
party chooses to conduct such a study, the following procedures shall apply:
1. When a party decides that it will, or is likely to, commission such a study, the
party shall notify the court. Notice shall be provided at least one month prior to
the final pre-trial conference. The notification may be in camera, and shall include
a brief description of the study’s methodology and the expected number of citizen
participants. The party shall also notify the court in camera when the study has
been completed.
2. The party or parties who commission the study shall retain the name and address
of each participant in the study. If the case is not disposed of by settlement or
otherwise, the party or parties who commissioned the study shall supply to the
court, in camera, the name and address of each citizen participant in the study at
least ten days prior to the final pre-trial conference.
So ORDERED and SIGNED this 11 day of August, 2010.
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Ron Clark, United States District Judge
