Local Rule Criminal Rule 57.2: Assignment

Criminal Rule 57.2 Assignment a. Criminal cases must be numbered consecutively upon the filing of the indictment or information in each such action or proceeding. The judges will, from time to time, determine, and indicate by formal order to the Clerk the method by which each action or proceeding will be assigned to a particular judge, to the end that over a period of time each judge must be assigned substantially an equal amount of work. Neither the Clerk nor any deputy clerk or magistrate judge will have any discretion in determining the judge to whom any matter is assigned, the action of the Clerk being ministerial only. The method of assignment chosen by the judges must be such that the judge to whom any particular matter is to be assigned, in accordance with this rule, must not be known by or disclosed to the Clerk or magistrate judge or any member of their staff, or to any other person, until after such action or proceeding has been assigned. b. The judge to whom a case is assigned or the Chief Judge of the district, may transfer such case at any time to a consenting judge in the interest of efficient administration of the judicial business of the district.