Local Rule LR 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS; EFFECTIVE DATE; SCOPE

LR 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS; EFFECTIVE DATE; SCOPE a. Citation Form. The local civil rules are to be cited as "LR ." The local civil and criminal rules are referred to collectively herein as the "rules" or the "Local Rules."

b. Effective Date. The rules, as amended, take effect on December 1, 2020.

c. Relationship to Prior Rules; Proceedings Pending on Effective Date. These Local Rules supersede all previous rules promulgated by the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and govern all proceedings brought in the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa after the effective date. They also apply to all proceedings pending on the effective date, except to the extent that, in the opinion of the presiding judge, the application of these Local Rules would not be practicable or would work an injustice, in which event the judge may grant appropriate relief.

d. Scope. Except as otherwise provided or where the context so indicates, the local civil rules govern all civil and criminal proceedings in the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, to the extent they are not inconsistent with any statute or law of the United States, any rule or order of the Supreme Court of the United States having the force of law, or in a criminal case, if a local criminal rule indicates otherwise.

e. Modification of Local Rules by Presiding Judge. The Local Rules are subject to modification in any case at the discretion of the presiding judge.

f. Sanctions. A failure to comply with the Local Rules may be sanctioned by the court in any appropriate manner. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, the exclusion of evidence, the prevention of witnesses from testifying, the striking of pleadings or other filings, the denial of oral argument, and the imposition of attorney fees and costs.

g. Court; Federal Judge; Magistrate Judge; Presiding Judge; State or Local Judicial Officer.

1. Court. The term "court," as used in the Local Rules, means a federal judge performing functions authorized by law.

2. Federal Judge. The term "federal judge," as used in the Local Rules, means a United States district court judge; a United States magistrate judge; any justice or judge of the United States as those terms are defined in 28 U.S.C. § 451; a judge confirmed by the United States Senate and empowered by statute in any commonwealth, territory, or possession to perform a function to which a particular Local Rule relates; and, to the extent the Local Rules are adopted as local bankruptcy rules, a United States bankruptcy judge.

3. Presiding Judge. The term "presiding judge," as used in the Local Rules, means a federal judge performing functions authorized by law in a matter assigned to that judge.

4. State or Local Judicial Officer. The term "state or local judicial officer," as used in the Local Rules, means a state or local officer authorized to act under 18 U.S.C. § 3041.

h. Authority. When the Local Rules authorize a magistrate judge to act, a United States district court judge also may act.

i. Web Addresses. Forms, procedures, and additional information about the courts and their federal judges may be found at the following web addresses: www.iand.uscourts.gov for the Northern District, and www.iasd.uscourts.gov for the Southern District.

j. Computing Time. When a period of time is prescribed in or allowed by a Local Rule, computation of the period of time is governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6(a).

k. ECF System. The court's electronic case filing system is referred to in the Local Rules as the "ECF system."

l. ECF Procedures Manual. Specific rules, requirements, procedures, and limitations relating to electronic filing and electronic access to case files in the ECF system are set out in a procedures manual referred to in the Local Rules as the "ECF Procedures Manual."

m. Written Document. When the Local Rules require a document to be "written" or "in writing," those terms include both documents filed in paper form and documents prepared and filed electronically.