NCJ Number
140553
Date Published
1992
Length
358 pages
Annotation
This manual has been prepared to carry out the mandate of Section 479(c)(1)-(3) of the 1990 Civil Justice Reform Act. The Act was adopted in response to strong and persistent demands for reform of the civil litigation process to reduce costs and delays.
Abstract
The manual should help judges conduct effective civil case management. It offers an arsenal of management techniques for every phase of litigation, but is limited to measures that a judge can implement individually without court action. The manual covers the essentials of case management, followed by detailed sections on managing pretrial and trial phases of litigation. For the pretrial phase, consideration is given to Rule 16 conferences, discovery management, motion management, the final pretrial conference, sanctions, and settlement. For the trial phase, information is provided on jury and bench trials. Special issues covered in the manual deal with staff utilization, the use of magistrate judges and masters, procedures for prisoner/pro se cases, the management of expert evidence, using outside neutrals for dispute resolution, automation in case management, and coordination with other courts. Sample forms and a bibliography are provided.