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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe second-busiest federal district court in the nation soon will get some relief from magistrate judges from other district courts in the 7th Circuit. The Southern District of Indiana’s ongoing judicial emergency has been compounded by the death of Magistrate Judge Denise K. LaRue.
Magistrate Judge David E. Jones and recalled Magistrate Judge William E. Callahan of the District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, will begin providing services to magistrate judges in Indianapolis on or after Oct. 1. The visiting magistrate judges will serve on an as-needed basis in criminal cases and in assigned civil matters. The court said in a statement their assistance will be targeted on matters such as initial criminal proceedings and settlement conferences.
In addition, Chief Judge Michael J. Reagan of the Southern District of Illinois will be assisting the court by presiding over a trial, designated earlier this month by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Chief Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson of the District Court for the Southern District of Indiana signed an agreement Sept. 13 with Eastern Wisconsin Chief Judge William C. Griesbach. Griesbach and District Judge Lynn S. Adelman already have been providing their services to the Southern District of Indiana to relieve its judicial emergency, defined as average weighted caseloads exceeding 800 cases per judgeship. The Southern District of Indiana had a weighted caseload average of 915 cases per judgeship before LaRue’s death. Now, the court statement said, “the Magistrate Judges of the Southern District are experiencing a significant increase in their already considerable caseloads.”
“The Southern District of Indiana is indeed most grateful for the generous support shown us by our colleagues in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the Southern District of Illinois. They have come to our aid in a time of need,” Magnus-Stinson said.
For further information regarding these intracircuit assignments, contact Chief Deputy Clerk Alison Chestovich at 317-229-3700.
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