Local Rule LR 72.2: Assignment of Matters to Magistrate Judges

LR 72.2 - Assignment of Matters to Magistrate Judges a. Criminal Cases. A district court judge may assign any pre-trial felony case proceeding or misdemeanor case to a magistrate judge consistent with LR 72.1.

b. Civil Cases. A district court judge may assign any civil matter to a magistrate judge consistent with LR 72.1. The Clerk's Office will schedule all settlement conferences and all non-dispositive matters before a magistrate judge in cases assigned to designated judges unless the designated judge directs otherwise. Where the parties consent to the trial and disposition of a case by a magistrate judge, such case will be reassigned to a magistrate judge for the conduct of all further proceedings and the entry of judgment.

c. Reservation of Proceedings by Judges. Nothing in these rules precludes a district judge from reserving any proceeding for conduct by a district judge, rather than by a magistrate judge.