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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
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In Re:
10 GENERAL ORDER NO. 02-21
DIVISION OF COURT BUSINESS
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Pursuant to the provision of title 28, United States Code, Section 137, the active judges
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of this court will divide the court's business among themselves as follows:
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1. Definitions
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17 a. Civil cases include bankruptcy appeals, habeas corpus petitions, and contested
18 miscellaneous matters, but exclude Section 2255 motions and other similar cases
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described in paragraph 8.
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b. Criminal cases include appeals from Magistrate Judges and all proceedings under
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Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 7, 20 and 40.
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23 2. All civil cases filed in this district will be assigned as follows:
24 All civil cases in the Tacoma division equally to all the active judges.
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All civil cases in the Seattle division equally to all the active judges.
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Civil cases may also be assigned to a senior judge.
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3. All criminal cases filed in this district will be assigned as follows:
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All criminal cases in the Tacoma division equally to all the active judges.
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2 All criminal cases in the Seattle division equally to all the active judges.
3 Criminal cases may also be assigned to a senior judge.
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4. All naturalization proceedings in the district, including contested petitions, will be
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handled by Judge Richard A. Jones.
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5. Chief Judge Ricardo S. Martinez will be responsible for the call and discharge of grand
8 juries, the return of indictments, the review of wire tap applications, and all other matters
9 related to the functions of the grand jury. Judge Richard A. Jones will serve as backup
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for presentations of wire tap applications.
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6. Judge Richard A. Jones will be responsible for all issues involving the jury selection
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13 process and the call and qualification of petit jurors in the Seattle division. Judge
14 Benjamin H. Settle will be responsible for the call and qualification of petit jurors and the
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jury selection process in the Tacoma division.
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7. Judge Robert S. Lasnik will be responsible for all claims for wages and the effects of
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deceased or deserting seamen, unassigned ex parte matters involving requests for post-
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19 judgment execution, and all other miscellaneous matters in the Seattle Division. Judge
20 Benjamin H. Settle will be responsible for all claims for wages and the effects of deceased
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or deserting seamen, unassigned ex parte matters, and all other miscellaneous matters in
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the Tacoma division.
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8. Proceedings under Section 2255, Title 28, United States Code, will be assigned to and
25 handled by the judge who imposed the sentence involved.
26 9. If immediate action is necessary in any case or proceeding assigned to a particular judge
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and that judge is unavailable for any reason, any other judge may hear and dispose of the
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matter requiring immediate attention, but no such action constitutes reassignment of the
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2 case or the proceeding.
3 10. When civil or criminal actions involving common questions of law and fact (but not
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necessarily the same parties) are assigned to different judges and it appears to any judge
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of this court that there may be good reason to assign all such actions to one judge, those
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cases may be assigned to the judge with the case bearing the earliest filing date, at his or
8 her option.
9 11. Motions to consolidate civil or criminal actions for trial, or otherwise, will be heard by
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the judge with the case bearing the earliest filing date; in the event consolidation is
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ordered, the consolidated cases will be heard by that judge.
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13 12. The reassignment of a case necessitated by the disqualification of a judge will be to the
14 judge who would have received the assignment of the next case filed; the judge who has
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disqualified himself/herself will be assigned an additional case from the assignment
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wheel.
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13. The assignment of all civil and criminal cases is made subject to changes established by
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19 the chief judge for purposes of equalization of case assignments to all active judges of the
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14. The clerk will refer any matter or proceeding not provided under this division of business
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order to the chief judge for assignment and disposition.
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15. Notwithstanding the above provisions, each of the judges of this court will perform any
25 acts of authority and duty otherwise conferred upon him or her by law, and will try and
26 dispose of any and all cases, matters and business of this court when he or she consents
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to do so.
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16. All conflicting orders concerning the division of this Court’s business previously entered
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2 are vacated by this order. This order is effective immediately and remains in force until
3 rescinded.
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Dated this 8th day of February, 2021.
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A
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RICARDO S. MARTINEZ
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CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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