Rule 22-3 Authority of Special Master

A special master is a person the court appoints to help handle certain parts of a case. Think of them as a helper with legal authority who takes on specific tasks the judge assigns to them. They can run hearings, look at evidence, hear motions, and make decisions about legal and factual questions within whatever the court has assigned them to handle.

Special masters also have the power to punish parties who do not follow the rules. They can directly issue certain penalties against parties in the case. If someone needs a stronger punishment, like being held in contempt of court, the special master can recommend that to the judge. They can also recommend punishments against people who are not even parties to the case.

The court's appointment order controls how much power the special master has. If the order limits their authority in any way, those limits apply. But if the order does not say otherwise, the special master has broad power to manage their assigned duties fairly and efficiently.