District Court Judge
Becker County
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Contact with Chambers
• Preferred method to contact chambers: Email
• To whom may attorneys direct scheduling/logistical questions? Court scheduling clerk or law clerk.
• To whom may attorneys direct substantive questions? Law clerk.
• Set forth your practices and procedures for scheduling motion hearings. Court administration role.
• Do you accept telephone calls from attorneys to rule on discovery disputes that occur during depositions? No.
• How much time do you allot for motion hearings? Depends on the motion.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attending a hearing by telephone or video conference. Done by zoom now. Like regular hearing.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to discovery motions. Set for hearing as a regular motion.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to stipulations of the parties, including stipulations for protective orders. Documents filed with court administration. I review and sign without hearing unless requested.
• Do you have any particular requests or procedures relating to requests to amend the scheduling order? No. If agreed to, I sign amended order.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to default proceedings. Court administration sets hearing.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to handling emergency motions. Depends on the motion.
• If your preferences for motion hearings by remote means differ from any of your earlier answers, please describe your preferences for remote video conference hearings. No difference.
• Do you want to receive paper courtesy copies of the parties' written submissions? If you do, set forth the number of courtesy copies and identify any document type you do not want to receive. No. I review the pleadings.
• Set forth your preferences for handling informal requests for relief using the expedited, informal non-dispositive motion process set forth in Minn. Gen. R. practice 115.04(d). No preferences developed at this time.
Pre-Trial Procedures
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to the submissions of additional legal authority or other materials at or after oral arguments. Usually allowed. Both sides get opportunity to submit/reply.
• Describe your preferred procedures for pretrial settlement conferences, including the timing of such conferences, persons who must attend, whether persons may attend by telephone or video conference, and how you participate in settlement discussions. These are now in person. Client and attorney must attend. Depending on PT issues, usually set for 30 minutes.
• Identify what technology you use in the courtroom and state whether you prefer a particular electronic format. MNDES for exhibits. Otherwise, electronic viewing during evidence presentation.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attorney’s use of technology in the courtroom and during trial. Standard. They use their technology to present their evidence.
• Do you permit parties to bifurcate oral argument so different attorneys address different legal issues? Sure.
In-Person Trials
• Are you willing to provide a date certain for trial? Yes.
• Set forth your practices and procedures for handling motions in limine. Like to identify issues at PT (if not already done). Hold separate hearing on Motions in Limine well before trial so enough time to decide and give notice.
• What is your schedule for a typical trial day? 9 - 4:30 with breaks and lunch recess.
• Set forth your voir dire procedures. I ask minimal questions. The attorneys then proceed.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to courtroom decorum, including movement in the courtroom, use of a podium, whether attorneys should sit or stand, and how to address witnesses. During witness examination, attorneys sit. During opening statements or closing arguments, it's the attorney's discretion as to use of podium, etc.
• Do you impose time limits with respect to opening statements and closing arguments? No.
• Identify what technology you use in the courtroom and state whether you prefer a particular electronic format. Typical courtroom technology. No preference.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attorney’s use of technology in the courtroom. None really.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to marking and using exhibits. Attorneys use and publish as they wish, preferably electronically.
• For exhibits uploaded to the Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES), set forth your preferences regarding naming conventions for files uploaded to the system. Please label exhibits.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to handling objections. State legal grounds only. Limit bench conferences.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to the use of deposition testimony. None developed.
• May attorneys obtain daily transcripts during trial? If so, what procedure should attorneys follow? Not typically.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attorney requests to contact jurors at the conclusion of trial. Haven't been asked at this point, but I would allow contact if requested. None.