United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina

About This Court

The Western District of North Carolina is one of three federal judicial districts in North Carolina and sits within the Fourth Circuit. The district covers the western portion of the state, including Charlotte, the Piedmont Triad foothills, and the Appalachian Mountain region extending to the Tennessee and Georgia borders. Charlotte serves as the primary seat of the court, reflecting its status as the largest city in the Carolinas and a major financial center.

The district handles the full range of federal civil and criminal matters arising from its geographic area. Given Charlotte's prominence as a banking and financial hub, the court sees a notable volume of complex financial litigation, securities matters, and white-collar criminal cases. The district also addresses cases arising from the region's diverse industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation.

The Western District of North Carolina spans a geographically varied area that ranges from urban centers to rural mountain communities, influencing the character of its docket. The court operates from multiple locations to serve this spread-out population.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Western District of North Carolina.

Divisions

Charlotte Division (Charlotte), Asheville Division (Asheville), Bryson City Division (Bryson City), Statesville Division (Statesville)

Caseload

The court's docket reflects Charlotte's role as a major financial center, with significant numbers of complex financial fraud, securities, and white-collar criminal cases. The district also handles substantial federal criminal matters including drug trafficking cases originating along interstate corridors running through western North Carolina.

Bar Admission

Attorneys must be admitted to the bar of the Western District of North Carolina to practice before the court. Applicants must be a member in good standing of the North Carolina State Bar or the bar of another federal court, and must comply with the court's local rules governing admission.

Clerk's Office

Charles R. Jonas Federal Building, 401 West Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202

(704) 350-7400

Active Judges 9

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
Kenneth Bell	Donald J. Trump	2019	Wake Forest University School of Law
Max Cogburn	Barack Obama	2011	Samford University, Cumberland School of Law
Robert Conrad	George W. Bush	2005	University of Virginia School of Law
Graham Mullen	George H.W. Bush	1990	Duke University School of Law
Matthew Orso	Donald J. Trump	2025	St. Louis University School of Law
Martin Reidinger	George W. Bush	2007	University of North Carolina School of Law
Susan Rodriguez	Donald J. Trump	2025	George Mason University School of Law (now Antonin Scalia Law School)
Richard Voorhees	Ronald Reagan	1988	University of North Carolina School of Law
Frank Whitney	George W. Bush	2006	University of North Carolina School of Law

Local Rules

47 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 25

Rule	Title
LCvR 1.1	APPLICATION OF LOCAL CIVIL RULES
LCvR 16.1	PRETRIAL CONFERENCES, INITIAL ATTORNEY'S CONFERENCE, JOINT STIPULATION OF CONSENT TO UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE JURISDICTION, AND INITIAL PRETRIAL CONFERENCE
LCvR 16.2	MEDIATION OR ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION ("ADR")
LCvR 16.3	RULES APPLICABLE TO MEDIATION OR ADR
LCvR 16.4	PRO SE SETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
LCvR 26.1	COMMENCEMENT OF DISCOVERY
LCvR 26.2	DISCOVERY MATERIAL NOT TO BE FILED UNLESS ORDERED OR NEEDED
LCvR 3.1	FILING FEE, BOND, SECURITY, PROHIBITED SURETIES, PAYMENT OF FEES ELECTRONICALLY, AND REFUNDS
LCvR 4.1.1	SERVICE OF SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT
LCvR 4.2	PUBLICATION OF NOTICE BY THE UNITED STATES IN CIVIL FORFEITURE ACTIONS
LCvR 42.1	MOTION FOR CONSOLIDATION OF CASES
LCvR 4.3	WAIVER OF SERVICE UPON CURRENT AND FORMER NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES IN CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIONS FILED BY NORTH CAROLINA STATE PRISONERS
LCvR 45.1	PRODUCTION OF SUBPOENAED MATERIAL BY CERTAIN NON-PARTIES, CUSTODIANS OF RECORDS
LCvR 45.2	NOTICE OF DOCUMENT SUBPOENA TO NON-PARTY
LCvR 47.1	CONTACT WITH JURORS BEFORE TRIAL AND DURING VOIR DIRE
LCvR 5.2.1	FILING OF PAPERS, FILING OF REDACTED PLEADINGS, AND PRESENTING JUDGMENTS, ORDERS, AND COMMUNICATIONS TO JUDGES
LCvR 54.1	TAXATION OF COSTS OTHER THAN ATTORNEY FEES
LCvR 6.1	SEALED FILINGS AND PUBLIC ACCESS
LCvR 67.1	REGISTRY FUNDS
LCvR 7.1	MOTIONS IN CIVIL CASES, BRIEF REQUIREMENTS, EXHIBIT NUMBERING, PAGE LIMITS, AND PROPOSED ORDERS
LCvR 7.2	SOCIAL SECURITY CASES
LCvR 72.1	AUTHORITY OF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGES IN CIVIL MATTERS, STANDING ORDERS OF REFERENCE
LCvR 73.1	TRIAL BY CONSENT BEFORE A UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE, INITIAL ASSIGNMENT OF CASES, DUTY OF PARTIES, AND FAILURE TO FILE THE JOINT STIPULATION
LCvR 77.1	ORDERS AND JUDGMENTS THE CLERK OF COURT MAY GRANT
LCvR 79.1	PRESENTATION, CUSTODY, AND DISPOSITION OF EVIDENCE, MODELS, EXHIBITS, AND DEPOSITIONS

Criminal Rules 19

Rule	Title
LCrR 1.1	APPLICATION OF LOCAL CRIMINAL RULES
LCrR 11.1	ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF RULE 11 INQUIRY
LCrR 11.2	PLEA HEARINGS AND FACTUAL BASIS FOR PLEAS
LCrR 17.2	SUBPOENAS IN CRIMINAL CASES
LCrR 17.3	APPLICATIONS FOR WRITS IN CRIMINAL CASES
LCrR 20.1	CONSOLIDATION AND TRANSFER OF CASES
LCrR 23.1	FAIR TRIAL AND FREE PRESS IN CRIMINAL CASES
LCrR 32.2.1	AUTHORITY OF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGES IN CRIMINAL FORFEITURE CASES AND PUBLICATION OF NOTICE IN FORFEITURE CASES
LCrR 32.3	DISCLOSURE OF PRESENTENCE OR PROBATION RECORDS
LCrR 32.4	STATEMENT OF RELEVANT CONDUCT
LCrR 32.5	SENTENCING HEARING, PRESENTENCE REPORTS, IDENTITIES OF VICTIMS, AND SENTENCING MEMORANDA
LCrR 44.1	ADMISSION, APPEARANCE, APPOINTMENT, DISCIPLINE, AND DISBARMENT OF COUNSEL
LCrR 47.1	MOTIONS PRACTICE IN CRIMINAL CASES, REQUIREMENT OF BRIEFS, RESPONSES REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT, AND PROPOSED ORDERS
LCrR 49.1.1	SEALED RECORDS AND PUBLIC ACCESS
LCrR 49.1.2	FILING OF PAPERS, FILING OF REDACTED PLEADINGS, AND PRESENTING JUDGMENTS, ORDERS, AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO JUDGES
LCrR 55.2	PRESENTATION, CUSTODY, AND DISPOSITION OF EVIDENCE, MODELS, EXHIBITS, AND DEPOSITIONS
LCrR 58.1	FORFEITURE OF COLLATERAL SECURITY IN LIEU OF APPEARANCE
LCrR 58.2	PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO COLLATERAL FORFEITURES, PETTY OFFENSES, AND CLASS A MISDEMEANORS
LCrR 59.1	UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE DUTIES IN FELONY CASES

General Rules 1

Rule	Title
LCvR 83.3	USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CAMERAS IN THE COURTHOUSE

Attorney Rules 2

Rule	Title
LCvR 83.1	ATTORNEY ADMISSION AND ELIGIBILITY, ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ECF ACCOUNT BEFORE ADMISSION, DEFINITIONS OF TYPES OF ADMISSIONS
LCvR 83.2	ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE AND DISBARMENT

View all local rules →

Other Courts in the 4th Circuit

District of Maryland Baltimore, Maryland District of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina Eastern District of North Carolina Raleigh, North Carolina Eastern District of Virginia Alexandria, Virginia Middle District of North Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina Northern District of West Virginia Clarksburg, West Virginia Southern District of West Virginia Charleston, West Virginia Western District of Virginia Roanoke, Virginia