Local Rule Rule 3.4: Preparation of Assignment Decks

Rule 3.4 Preparation of Assignment Decks For each of the Eastern Division Offices in Akron, Cleveland and Youngstown, the Clerk of Court shall cause to be created a separate electronic deck of case assignment cards for Civil Category 1. For all of the Eastern Division Offices, the Clerk of Court shall cause to be created a combined electronic deck of case assignment cards for Civil Category 2.

For the Western Division, the Clerk of Court shall cause to be created a separate electronic deck of case assignment cards for Civil Categories 1 and 2.

For all offices in both the Eastern and Western Divisions, the Clerk of Court shall cause to be created a single electronic deck of case assignment cards for Civil Category 3.

The electronic cards comprising each deck category will contain the category number and the name of a District Judge. The name of each District Judge shall appear on that number of cards in the electronic deck that corresponds to the share of cases assigned to that District Judge pursuant to Local Rule 3.2.

The cards making up a deck shall be electronically shuffled so that the sequence will be entirely by chance, and the cards shall be concealed so that the name of the District Judge will not be known until the card is drawn. Relying upon the indicated category of the case and selecting the appropriate deck depending upon the venue of the case (See Local Rule 3.8(a), the Assignment Clerk shall randomly select a card from the deck of that category and venue. The case shall be assigned to the District Judge whose name appears on the drawn card. New decks of cards shall be prepared by the Clerk from time to time, as herein described, unless otherwise instructed by the Court.

In the Western Division, decks for each category of civil cases shall be replenished as soon as the decks are depleted.

For the Eastern Division, decks for Civil Category 1 shall be replenished only after all Civil Category 1 decks for all offices in the Eastern Division are depleted. Thus, (1) if the Youngstown deck is depleted first, Youngstown cases will thereafter be assigned to District Judges from the Akron deck until that deck is depleted. When the Akron deck is depleted, both Youngstown and Akron cases will be assigned to District Judges from the Cleveland deck. (2) If the Akron deck is depleted first, Akron cases will thereafter be assigned to District Judges from the Youngstown deck until that deck is depleted. When the Youngstown deck is depleted, both Akron and Youngstown cases will be assigned to District Judges from the Cleveland deck. (3) If the Cleveland deck is depleted first, Cleveland cases will thereafter be assigned to District Judges from the Akron deck until that deck is depleted. When the Akron deck is depleted, both Cleveland and Akron cases will be assigned to District Judges from the Youngstown deck.

When all of the Civil Category 1 decks in the Eastern Division are depleted, all will be replenished and the assignment system herein described will start over.

The Assignment Clerk shall mark, on the first document of the case, the next consecutive number and the name of the District Judge to whom the case is assigned. A record of all assignments made shall be kept by said Clerk. Reports of case assignments shall be made available to the Court upon request.

(See LCrR 57.12) Last revised 4/7/97. See Historical Notes for full revision history.