1
2
3
4
5
6
7
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
8
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE
9
10
IN RE: GENERAL ORDER 06-12
11
DIVISION OF COURT BUSINESS
12
13
14
15
Pursuant to the provision of title 28, United States Code, Section 137, the active
16
judges of this court will divide the court’s business among themselves as follows:
17
18
1. Definitions
19
a. Civil cases include bankruptcy appeals, habeas corpus petitions, and
20
contested miscellaneous matters, but exclude Section 2255 motions
21
22 and other similar cases described in paragraph 8.
23
24
-1
1 b. Criminal cases include appeals from Magistrate Judges and all
2 proceedings under Rules 7, 20 and 40 Fed.R.Crim.P.
3 2. All civil cases filed in this district will be assigned as follows:
4
All civil cases in the Tacoma division equally to all the active judges.
5
All civil cases in the Seattle division equally to the active judges.
6
Civil cases may also be assigned to a senior judge.
7
3. All criminal cases filed in this district will be assigned as follows:
8
All criminal cases in the Tacoma division equally to all the active judges.
9
All criminal cases in the Seattle division equally to the active judges.
10
11 Criminal cases may also be assigned to a senior judge.
12 4. All naturalization proceedings in the Tacoma division, including contested
13 petitions, will be handled by Judge Ronald B. Leighton. Judge Richard A.
14 Jones will handle all naturalization proceedings in the Seattle division,
15 including contested petitions.
16 5. Judge James L. Robart will be responsible for the call and discharge of
17
grand juries, the return of indictments, the review of wire tap applications
18
in the Seattle division, and all other matters related to the functions of the
19
grand jury. Judge Richard A. Jones will serve as backup for presentations
20
of wire tap applications in the Seattle division. Judge Ronald B. Leighton
21
will handle all wire tap applications for the Tacoma division.
22
6. Judge Ricardo S. Martinez will be responsible for all issues involving the
23
24 jury selection process and the call and qualification of petit jurors in the
-2
1 Seattle division. Judge Benjamin H. Settle will be responsible for the call
2 and qualification of petit jurors and the jury selection process in the
3 Tacoma division.
4
7. Judge Robert S. Lasnik shall be responsible for all claims for wages and the
5
effects of deceased and deserting seamen, unassigned ex parte matters
6
involving requests for post-judgment execution, and all other miscellaneous
7
matters in the Seattle Division. Judge Benjamin H. Settle will be
8
responsible for all claims for wages and the effects of deceased or deserting
9
seamen and unassigned ex parte matters in the Tacoma division.
10
11 8. Proceedings under Section 2255, Title 28, United States Code, will be
12 assigned to and handled by the judge who imposed the sentence involved.
13 9. If immediate action is necessary in any case or proceeding assigned to a
14 particular judge and that judge is unavailable for any reason, any other
15 judge may hear and dispose of the matter requiring immediate attention, but
16 no such action constitutes reassignment of the case or the proceeding.
17
10. When civil or criminal actions involving common questions of law and fact
18
(but not necessarily the same parties) are assigned to different judges and it
19
appears to any judge of this court that there may be good reason to assign
20
all such actions to one judge, those cases may be assigned to the judge with
21
the case bearing the earliest filing date, at his or her option.
22
11. Motions to consolidate civil or criminal actions for trial, or otherwise, will
23
24 be heard by the judge with the case bearing the earliest filing date; in the
-3
1 event consolidation is ordered, the consolidated cases will be heard by that
2 judge.
3 12. The reassignment of a case necessitated by the disqualification of a judge
4
will be to the judge who would have received the assignment of the next
5
case filed; the judge who has disqualified himself/herself will be assigned
6
an additional case from the assignment wheel.
7
13. The assignment of all civil and criminal cases is made subject to changes
8
established by the chief judge for purposes of equalization of case
9
assignments to all active judges of the district.
10
11 14. The clerk will refer any matter or proceeding not provided under this
12 division of business order to the chief judge for assignment and disposition.
13 15. Notwithstanding the above provisions, each of the judges of this court will
14 perform any acts of authority and duty otherwise conferred upon him or her
15 by law, and will try and dispose of any and all cases, matters and business
16 of this court when he or she consents to do so.
17
16. All conflicting orders concerning the division of this court’s business
18
previously entered are vacated by this order. This order is effective
19
immediately and remains in force until rescinded.
20
Dated this 19th day of December, 2012.
21
22 A
Marsha J. Pechman
23
United States Chief District Judge
24
-4
