District Court Judge
St. Louis County
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Contact with Chambers
• Preferred method to contact chambers: Email.
• To whom may attorneys direct scheduling/logistical questions? My law clerk.
• To whom may attorneys direct substantive questions? My law clerk.
• Set forth your practices and procedures for scheduling motion hearings. I will set them upon request of the attorneys. Generally, the attorneys can contact my law clerk to request a motion hearing if one isn't already scheduled.
• Do you accept telephone calls from attorneys to rule on discovery disputes that occur during depositions? Not usually, but I would if available and given fair warning before the deposition.
• How much time do you allot for motion hearings? Totally depends on the complexity of the issues at hand.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attending a hearing by telephone or video conference. Nowadays, I'm fine with it being all one way or another. I do not like 'hybrid' hearings. And, if it is a settlement conference, it will be in person.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to discovery motions. I like to handle these informally over the phone.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to stipulations of the parties, including stipulations for protective orders. If it's a stip, send it to me and I will sign.
• Do you have any particular requests or procedures relating to requests to amend the scheduling order? No.
• 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 no longer find this necessary. I do print my materials (easier on my old eyes), but I can do the printing. However, if there is a large volume of materials, I appreciate it when the attorneys ask if I would like a printed copy.
• 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).
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. This is pretty rare, but if requested, I will generally allow it, and allow opposing counsel to respond.
• 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. As I said earlier, these must be in person and all parties must attend, including those who have settlement authority.
• Identify what technology you use in the courtroom and state whether you prefer a particular electronic format. Ask my law clerk.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attorney’s use of technology in the courtroom and during trial. I don't care what you use, as long as it works.
• Do you permit parties to bifurcate oral argument so different attorneys address different legal issues? Never had that issue, but I wouldn't oppose it.
In-Person Trials
• Are you willing to provide a date certain for trial? To a degree. The issue would be if a number of criminal speedy trials happened to coincide with the date certain; then they might get bumped.
• Set forth your practices and procedures for handling motions in limine. I will handle these at a pre-trial hearing.
• What is your schedule for a typical trial day? Start at 0830. Mid morning break. Lunch. Mid afternoon break. Go until 1630 or thereabouts.
• Set forth your voir dire procedures. I only ask a few questions of the jurors, including the insurance question if requested by counsel. Otherwise, I don't care who is on the jury, so I give the attorneys free reign, within the Rules.
• 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. Podiums are used for openings and closings. Counsel may remain seated at counsel tables for questioning of witnesses. Objections are made on your feet.
• Do you impose time limits with respect to opening statements and closing arguments? Never have. If someone wants to bore a jury for over an hour, that's their prerogative.
• Identify what technology you use in the courtroom and state whether you prefer a particular electronic format. No preference.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attorney’s use of technology in the courtroom. Clear it with me ahead of time.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to marking and using exhibits. We will discuss and mark exhibits at a pre-trial hearing.
• For exhibits uploaded to the Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES), set forth your preferences regarding naming conventions for files uploaded to the system. Ha! Haven't figured this out yet.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to handling objections. No speaking objections, just the basis. If need be, argue at a sidebar and make a record later.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to the use of deposition testimony. Not sure what you are asking here. If there are issues with depositions, I expect the attorneys to notify me ahead of time.
• May attorneys obtain daily transcripts during trial? If so, what procedure should attorneys follow? If daily transcripts are to be requested, I expect the attorneys to notify the court reporter well ahead of time and to coordinate with the court reporter.
• Set forth your practices and procedures with respect to attorney requests to contact jurors at the conclusion of trial. They are free to do so.
• Set forth any other preferences, practices, or procedures attorneys and parties may find helpful. I believe the jury trial is the attorneys time to shine. I expect them to be prepared, to warn me ahead of time of issues that may come up in the trial, and to be professional and courteous throughout the trial. I've done this for a long time and I enjoy civil trials as I feel the civil bar generally puts a lot of effort into preparing their cases ahead of time.
• If your practice differs for trials by remote means, please describe the differences. There is no way I would ever agree to a remote trial.