General:Be prepared to discuss settlement at earliest opportunity. Mediation and arbitration will be employed anytime if it will assist the parties and counsel in the understanding their opponent's position and facilitate a settlement. Court moves it's docket quickly with the goal of disposing of all cases within a year of filing, if not sooner.

Pre-Trials: Law Clerk handles case management conference. Judge handles pre-trial and status conference. Requires lead counsel or associate to be present at case management conference. Requires lead counsel and individual with authority to be present at pre-trial conference. Prefers use of phone conference for usual circumstances such as out-of-state attorneys and snow storms, major illness, ect. People settle better face to face. Does not hold pre-trial conference when it is not necessary or the attorneys can best handle it directly themselves without court interference. Discusses deadlines, merits, and settlement at case management conference and settlement conference.

Motion Practice:  Bailiff handles scheduling conflicts. Law clerk handles filing deadlines, pending motions, and discovery disputes. Allows oral arguments on motions only as required by civil rules. If time available allows reply and sur reply briefs. Motion in limine should be in writing and may be submitted anytime.

Discovery: Requires a scheduling order. Allows 60, 90 or 120 depending on the complexity of the issues.

Settlement Conference: Will hold settlement conference two or tree month prior to trial. Requires lead counsel, parties, and individual with settlement authority to be present. Always actively participates in settlement negotiations. Participation by phone permitted on extraordinary conditions stated above.

Calendaring and Continuances: Motion by party is needed for extension of discovery and any continuance of trial. Allows extension of discovery without court consent as long as both sides agree and it does not interfere with the trial schedule. Last minute continuances will not be granted.

Trials: Should supply court reporter with exhibit lists the morning of trial. Filing deadline for pre-trial statement, trial brief, and jury instructions is 7 days before trial. Not necessary to file videotape depositions. Requires filing of an index of objections 3 days prior to trial for all videotape testimony. Rules on objections to videotape before trial. Allows exhibits in opening statement. Client, counsel, and investigator may sit at trial table. No time limit on voir dire. Allows jurors to take notes in complex cases with consent of counsel but allows jurors to request in deliberation specific questions & answers to be typed by court reporter. Does not allow jurors to ask questions during trial. Court submits list of names & titles of all witnesses to jury. Prefers blow-ups, overhead projector, or leaves it up to counsel's discretion to give jury copies of exhibits. Allows and encourages attorney to talk to jurors off the record after trial is complete; it is a valuable educational opportunity for a trial attorney. Requires counsel to stand unless ill, elderly, or disabled. Counsel can move about the courtroom as they feel necessary.

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