FILED
U.S. DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF WYOMING
DEC - 2 2015
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
Stephan Harris, Clerk
FOR THE DISTRICT OF WYOMING Cheyenne
GENERAL ORDER REGARDING Administrative General Order 2015-3
TIMING OF INITIAL PRETRIAL
CONFERENCES
On December 1, 2015, amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
became effective. Those amendments included a change to the timing of scheduling
orders pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b)(2). Specifically, the amendment to Fed. R. Civ.
P. 16(b)(2) changed the timing for the issuance of a scheduling order to "within the
earlier of 90 days after any defendant has been served with the complaint or 60 days after
any defendant has appeared." 1
Currently, the Local Rules of the United Stated District Court for the District of
Wyoming 16.1 (a)(l) provides the Court will set the initial pretrial conference no sooner
than forty-two (42) days after the last pleading has been filed with the Court pursuant to
Fed. R. Civ. P. Rule 7. Local Rule 16. l(a)(l) also provides the parties must meet and
confer no later than twenty (20) day after the last pleading has been filed pursuant to Fed.
R. Civ. P. Rule 7.
However, there are situations where U.S.D.C.L.R. 16.l(a)(l) will conflict with the
new timing requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b)(2). As such, the Court may set initial
pretrial conferences less than forty-two (42) days after the last pleading has been filed
1
The prior version of the Rule 16(b )(2) provided for the issuance of a scheduling order "within the earlier of 120
days after any defendant has been served with the complaint or 90 days after any defendant has appeared."
with the Court pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. Rule 7, when necessary to comply with Fed. R.
Civ. P. 16(b)(2).
IT IS ORDERED that for cases filed on or after December 1, 2015 , the Court will
endeavor to set initial pretrial conferences in accordance with Fed. R. Ci v. P. 16(b)(2 ),
disregarding when necessary the provisions of Local Rule 16.l(a)(l). Parties should
follow the provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) and any specific requirements of the
individual judges in preparing for their initial pretrial conference.
Dated this 1st day of December, 2015.
~ Q;f~
NANCY it
FREUDENTHAL
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
2
