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Notice of Pilot Project for Direct Assignment of Civil Cases to Magistrate Judges

Friday, September 28, 2018

The United States District Court for the District of Maryland has approved the adoption of a three-year pilot project to randomly assign a limited number of certain civil cases directly to the Magistrate Judges of this Court for all proceedings and the entry of a final judgment, subject to the consent of all parties, effective November 1, 2018.  

The Court is confident that this pilot project will benefit the public and the Bar by increasing the availability of civil trials and the utilization of the Magistrate Judges of this Court.  In all cases, neither the assigned Magistrate Judge nor the District Judge, if the case is reassigned, will be informed of the decision of any individual party to consent or decline to consent to proceed before a Magistrate Judge.  

Please review Standing Order 2018-04 for more information on this pilot project.