LR2-308 NMRA
Local Rule LR2-308. Case management pilot program for criminal cases.
A. Scope; application. This is a special pilot rule governing time limits for criminal
proceedings in the Second Judicial District Court. This rule applies in all criminal
proceedings in the Second Judicial District Court but does not apply to probation
violations, which are heard as expedited matters separately from cases awaiting a
determination of guilt, nor to any other special proceedings in Article 8 of the Rules of
Criminal Procedure for the District Courts. The Rules of Criminal Procedure for the
District Courts and existing case law on criminal procedure continue to apply to cases
filed in the Second Judicial District Court, but only to the extent they do not conflict with
this pilot rule. The Second Judicial District Court may adopt forms to facilitate
compliance with this rule, including the data tracking requirements in Paragraph M.
B. Arraignment.
(1)
Deadline for arraignment. The defendant shall be arraigned on the
information or indictment within fifteen (15) days after the date of the filing of the bind-
over order, indictment, or the date of the arrest, whichever is later, except that the
arraignment of a defendant in custody at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention
Center on the case to be arraigned shall be held not later than seven (7) days after the
filing of the bind-over order, indictment, or date of arrest, whichever is later.
(2)
Certification by prosecution required; matters certified. At or before
arraignment or waiver of arraignment, or upon the filing of a bind-over order, the state
shall certify that before obtaining an indictment or filing an information the case has
been investigated sufficiently to be reasonably certain that
(a) the case will reach a timely disposition by plea or trial within the case
processing time limits set forth in this rule;
(b) the court will have sufficient information upon which to rely in assigning a
case to an appropriate track at the scheduling conference provided for in Paragraph G;
(c) all discovery in the possession of the state or relied upon in the
investigation leading to the bind-over order, indictment or information will be provided in
accordance with Subparagraph (C)(2) of this rule; and
(d) the state understands that, absent extraordinary circumstances, the
state’s failure to comply with the case processing time lines set forth in this rule will
result in sanctions as set forth in Paragraph I.
(3)
Certification form. The court may adopt a form and require use of the
form to fulfill the certification and acknowledgment required by this paragraph.
C. Disclosure by the state; requirement to provide contact information;
continuing duty; failure to comply.
(1)
Scope of disclosure by the state. The scope of the state’s discovery
disclosure obligation shall be governed by Rule 5-501(A)(1)-(6) NMRA. In addition to
producing a “speed letter” authorizing the defendant to examine physical evidence in
possession of the state, the state shall provide the defendant with physical copies of
any documentary evidence and audio, video, and audio-video recordings made by law
enforcement officers or otherwise in possession of the state at the time of the
disclosure. As part of its production obligation under Rule 5-501(A)(5), the state shall
provide contact information for its witnesses that is current as of the date of disclosure,
including, to the extent available, witness addresses, phone numbers, and email
addresses.
(2)
Deadline for disclosure by the state. If the case is a ten (10)-day case
as described by Rule 5-302(A)(l) NMRA, the state shall make its discovery disclosures
to the defendant within five (5) days after arraignment or the filing of a waiver of
arraignment under Rule 5-303(J) NMRA. If the case is a sixty (60)-day case as
described by Rule 5-302(A)(1), the state shall make its initial discovery disclosures to
the defendant at arraignment or within five (5) days of when a written waiver of
arraignment is filed under Rule 5-303(J).
(3)
Motion to withhold contact information for safety reasons. A party
may seek relief from the court by motion, for good cause shown, to withhold specific
contact information if necessary to protect a victim or a witness. If the address of a
witness is not disclosed pursuant to court order, the party seeking the order shall
arrange for a witness interview or accept at its business offices a subpoena for
purposes of deposition under Rule 5-503 NMRA.
(4)
Continuing duty. The state shall have a continuing duty to disclose
additional information to the defendant, including the names and contact information for
newly-discovered witnesses and updated contact information for witnesses already
disclosed, within seven (7) days of receipt of such information, including current contact
information for witnesses.
(5)
Evidence deemed in the possession of the state. Evidence is deemed
to be in possession of the state for purposes of this rule and Rule 5-501(A) if such
evidence is in the possession or control of any person or entity who has participated in
the investigation or evaluation of the case.
(6)
Providing copies; electronic or paper; e-mail addresses for district
attorney and public defender required. Notwithstanding Rule 5-501(B) or any other
rule, the state shall provide to the defendant electronic or printed copies of electronic or
printed information subject to disclosure by the state. The Second Judicial District
Attorney’s Office and the Law Offices of the Public Defender shall provide to each other
a single e-mail address for delivery of discovery electronically. In addition to delivering
discovery to the given general address for the Law Offices of the Public Defender, the
state shall copy such delivery to any attorney for the Law Offices of the Public Defender
who has entered an appearance in the case at the time discovery is sent electronically.
(7)
Service of subsequent pleadings. Service of pleadings and papers
between the parties shall be made to the attorney, or to the party if not represented by
counsel, by emailing an electronic scan of the file-endorsed pleading or paper,
attachments included, to the attorney or party. If the attachments are too voluminous for
emailing, or otherwise cannot be sent by email, the email to the attorney or party will
recite this circumstance and certify that the attachments have been mailed or delivered
to the attorney’s or party’s last known address. Service by email is complete upon
transmission and, in case of attachments that cannot be emailed, upon mailing or
delivery.
D. Disclosure by defendant; notice of alibi; entrapment defense; failure to
comply.
(1)
Initial disclosures; deadline; witness contact information. Not less
than five (5) days before the scheduled date of the scheduling conference described in
Paragraph G, the defendant shall disclose or make available to the state all information
described in Rule 5-502(A)(1)-(3) NMRA. At the same time, the defendant shall provide
addresses, and also phone numbers and email addresses if available, for its witnesses
that are current as of the date of disclosure.
(2)
Deadline for notice of alibi and entrapment defense. Notwithstanding
Rule 5-508 NMRA or any other rule, not less than ninety (90) days before the date
scheduled for commencement of trial as provided in Paragraph G, the defendant shall
serve upon the state a notice in writing of the defendant’s intention to offer evidence of
an alibi or entrapment as a defense.
(3)
Continuing duty. The defendant shall have a continuing duty to disclose
additional information to the state, including the names and contact information for
newly-discovered witnesses and updated contact information for witnesses already
disclosed, within seven (7) days of receipt of such information.
(4)
Providing copies required; electronic or paper. Notwithstanding Rule
5-502(B) or any other rule, the defendant shall provide to the state electronic or printed
copies of electronic or printed information subject to disclosure by the defendant. The
Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Law Offices of the Public Defender
shall provide to each other a single e-mail address for delivery of discovery
electronically. In addition to delivering discovery to the given general address for the
Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the defendant shall copy such delivery to any
attorney for the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office who has entered an
appearance in the case at the time discovery is sent electronically.
(5)
Service of subsequent pleadings. Service of pleadings and papers
between the parties shall be made to the attorney, or to the party if not represented by
counsel, by emailing an electronic scan of the file-endorsed pleading or paper,
attachments included, to the attorney or party. If the attachments are too voluminous for
emailing, or otherwise cannot be sent by email, the email to the attorney or party will
recite this circumstance and certify that the attachments have been mailed or delivered
to the attorney’s or party’s last known address. Service by email is complete upon
transmission and, in case of attachments that cannot be emailed, upon mailing or
delivery.
E. Remote Audio-Visual Pretrial Interviews. Pretrial interviews shall be
completed remotely via court-approved audio-visual technology unless the parties
otherwise agree to in-person interviews or a party files a Notice of In-Person Interview
and the court orders in-person interviews. Absent extraordinary circumstances, each
witness in a given case shall be interviewed only once, and each witness interview shall
be recorded by interviewing counsel.
F. Peremptory excusal of a district judge; limits on excusals; time limits;
reassignment. A party on either side may file one (1) peremptory excusal of any judge
in the Second Judicial District Court, regardless of which judge is currently assigned to
the case, within ten (10) days of the arraignment or the filing of a waiver of arraignment.
If necessary, the case may later be reassigned by the chief judge to any judge in the
Second Judicial District Court, so long as that judge has not been previously excused
on the case. The chief judge may also reassign the case to a judge pro tempore
previously approved to preside over such matters by order of the Chief Justice, who
shall not be subject to peremptory excusal.
G. Scheduling conference; witness disclosure; case track determination;
scheduling order.
(1)
Witness list disclosure requirements. Within twenty-five (25) days after
arraignment or waiver of arraignment each party shall, subject to Rule 5-501(F) and
Rule 5-502(C), file a list of names and contact information for known witnesses the party
intends to call at trial and that the party has verified is current as of the date of
disclosure required under this subparagraph, including a brief statement of the expected
testimony for each witness, to assist the court in assigning the case to a track as
provided in this rule. The continuing duty to make such disclosure to the other party
continues at all times prior to trial, requiring such disclosure within five (5) days of when
a party determines or should reasonably have determined the witness will be expected
to testify at trial.
(2)
Scheduling conference; factors for case track assignment. A
scheduling conference, at which the defendant shall be present, shall be commenced
within thirty (30) days of arraignment or the filing of a waiver of arraignment. In track 1
and 2 cases only, the court may, in its discretion, accept the parties’ stipulation to a
track assignment and scheduling order in lieu of conducting a scheduling conference. A
scheduling conference is mandatory in track 3 cases.
(3)
Case track assignment required; factors. At the scheduling conference,
the court shall determine the appropriate assignment of the case to one of three tracks.
Written findings are required to place a case on track 3 and such findings shall be
entered by the court within five (5) days of assignment to track 3. Any track assignment
under this rule only shall be made after considering the following factors:
(a) the complexity of the case, starting with the assumption that most cases
will qualify for assignment to track 1; and
(b) the number of witnesses, time needed reasonably to address any
evidence issues, and other factors the court finds appropriate to distinguish track 1,
track 2, and track 3 cases.
(4)
Defendants detained pending trial. When the defendant is detained
pending trial, the case shall be given the highest priority for trial scheduling.
(5)
Scheduling order required. After hearing argument and weighing the
above factors, the court shall, before the conclusion of the scheduling conference, issue
a scheduling order that assigns the case to one of three tracks and identifies the dates
when events required by that track shall be scheduled, which are as follows for tracks 1,
2, and 3:
(a) Track 1; deadlines for commencement of trial and other events. For track
1 cases, the scheduling order shall have trial commence within two hundred ten (210)
days of arraignment, the filing of a waiver of arraignment, or other applicable triggering
event identified in Paragraph H, whichever is the latest to occur. The scheduling order
shall also set dates for other events according to the following requirements for track 1
cases:
(i)
Track 1 - deadline for plea agreement. A plea agreement entered
into between the defendant and the state shall be submitted to the court substantially in
the form approved by the Supreme Court not later than ten (10) days before the trial
date. A request for the court to approve a plea agreement less than ten (10) days before
the trial date shall not be accepted by the court except upon a written finding by the
assigned district judge of extraordinary circumstances. A defendant may plead guilty,
the state may dismiss charges, and the parties may recommend a sentence but the
court shall not agree to comply with a plea agreement in this circumstance absent a
written finding of extraordinary circumstances;
(ii)
Track 1 - deadline for pretrial conference. The final pretrial
conference, including any hearing on any remaining pretrial motions if needed, shall be
scheduled fifteen (15) days before the trial date. Each party shall file its final trial
witness list on or before this date. The defendant shall be present for the final pretrial
conference;
(iii)
Track 1 - deadline for notice of need for court interpreter. All parties
shall identify by filing notice with the court any requirement for language access
services at trial by a party or witness fifteen (15) days before the trial date;
(iv)
Track 1 - deadline for pretrial motions hearing. A hearing for
resolution of pretrial motions shall be set not less than thirty-five (35) days before the
trial date;
(v)
Track 1 - deadline for pretrial motions. Pretrial motions shall be filed
not less than fifty (50) days before the trial date;
(vi)
Track 1 - deadline for responses to pretrial motions. Written
responses to any pretrial motions shall be filed within ten (10) days of the filing of any
pretrial motions and in any case not less than forty (40) days before the trial date.
Failure to file a written response shall be deemed, for purposes of deciding the motion,
an admission of the facts stated in the motion;
(vii)
Track 1 - deadlines for requesting and completing witness
interviews. Witness interviews shall be completed not less than sixty (60) days before
the trial date. Absent agreement by the parties or order of the court the state shall be
responsible for scheduling pretrial witness interviews of the state’s witnesses, and the
defendant shall be responsible for scheduling pretrial witness interviews of the
defendant’s witnesses. A party wishing to interview witnesses of the other party’s initial
witness list shall request those interviews no later than fourteen (14) days after the
issuance of the scheduling order. The requesting party shall give dates of availability for
witness interviews during the thirty (30) days following the request and the party
receiving the request shall make reasonable efforts to schedule the requested
interviews during that thirty (30)-day period. If a party files a new witness list adding new
witnesses, any requests to interview those new witnesses shall be made no later than
seven (7) days after the new witness list is served upon the requesting party. At all
times the parties shall act diligently and in good faith in requesting, scheduling, and, as
necessary, rescheduling witness interviews. The court shall not consider failure to
conduct pretrial interviews of witnesses as the basis of any sanction unless the party
moving for sanctions followed the requirements of this subparagraph in requesting
those interviews; and
(viii)
Track 1 - deadline for disclosure of scientific evidence. All parties
shall produce the results of any scientific evidence, if not already produced, not less
than one hundred twenty (120) days before the trial date. The court may provide for
production of scientific evidence less than one hundred twenty (120) days before the
trial date as long as the modification does not result in a delay of the date scheduled for
trial;
(b) Track 2; deadlines for commencement of trial and other events. For track
2 cases, the scheduling order shall have trial commence within three hundred (300)
days of arraignment, the filing of a waiver of arraignment, or other applicable triggering
event identified in Paragraph H, whichever is the latest to occur. The scheduling order
shall also set dates for other events according to the following requirements for track 2
cases:
(i)
Track 2 - deadline for plea agreement. A plea agreement entered
into between the defendant and the state shall be submitted to the court substantially in
the form approved by the Supreme Court not later than ten (10) days before the trial
date. A request for the court to approve a plea agreement less than ten (10) days before
the trial date shall not be accepted by the court except upon a written finding by the
assigned district judge of extraordinary circumstances. A defendant may plead guilty,
the state may dismiss charges, and the parties may recommend a sentence but the
court shall not agree to comply with a plea agreement in this circumstance absent a
written finding of extraordinary circumstances;
(ii)
Track 2 - deadline for pretrial conference. The final pretrial
conference, including any hearing on any remaining pretrial motions if needed, shall be
scheduled fifteen (15) days before the trial date. Each party shall file its final trial
witness list on or before this date. The defendant shall be present for the final pretrial
conference;
(iii)
Track 2 - deadline for notice of need for court interpreter. All parties
shall identify by filing notice with the court any requirement for language access
services at trial by a party or witness fifteen (15) days before the trial date;
(iv)
Track 2 - deadline for pretrial motions hearing. A hearing for
resolution of pretrial motions shall be set not less than thirty-five (35) days before the
trial date;
(v)
Track 2 - deadline for pretrial motions. Pretrial motions shall be filed
not less than sixty (60) days before the trial date;
(vi)
Track 2 - deadline for responses to pretrial motions. Written
responses to any pretrial motions shall be filed within ten (10) days of the filing of any
pretrial motions and in any case not less than forty-five (45) days before the trial date.
Failure to file a written response shall be deemed, for purposes of deciding the motion,
an admission of the facts stated in the motion;
(vii)
Track 2 - deadlines for requesting and completing witness
interviews. Witness interviews shall be completed not less than seventy-five (75) days
before the trial date. Absent agreement by the parties or order of the court, the state
shall be responsible for scheduling pretrial witness interviews of the state’s witnesses,
and the defendant shall be responsible for scheduling pretrial witness interviews of the
defendant’s witnesses. A party wishing to interview witnesses of the other party’s initial
witness list shall request those interviews no later than twenty-one (21) days after the
issuance of the scheduling order. The requesting party shall give dates of availability for
witness interviews during the forty-five (45) days following the request and the party
receiving the request shall make reasonable efforts to schedule the requested
interviews during that forty-five (45)-day period. If a party files a new witness list adding
new witnesses, any requests to interview those new witnesses shall be made no later
than seven (7) days after the new witness list is served upon the requesting party. At all
times the parties shall act diligently and in good faith in requesting, scheduling, and, as
necessary, rescheduling witness interviews. The court shall not consider failure to
conduct pretrial interviews of witnesses as the basis of any sanction unless the party
moving for sanctions followed the requirements of this subparagraph in requesting
those interviews; and
(viii)
Track 2 - deadline for disclosure of scientific evidence. All parties
shall produce the results of any scientific evidence, if not already produced, not less
than one hundred twenty (120) days before the trial date. The court may provide for
production of scientific evidence less than one hundred twenty (120) days before the
trial date as long as the modification does not result in a delay of the date scheduled for
trial; and
(c) Track 3; deadlines for commencement of trial and other events. For track
3 cases, the scheduling order shall have trial commence within four hundred fifty-five
(455) days of arraignment, the filing of a waiver of arraignment, or other applicable
triggering event identified in Paragraph H, whichever is the latest to occur, except that
no case may be set past three hundred sixty-five (365) days where the defendant is
detained pending trial except upon consent by defense counsel or upon a finding of
exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the parties. The scheduling order shall
also set dates for other events according to the following requirements for track 3 cases:
(i)
Track 3 - deadline for plea agreement. A plea agreement entered
into between the defendant and the state shall be submitted to the court substantially in
the form approved by the Supreme Court not later than ten (10) days before the trial
date. A request for the court to approve a plea agreement less than ten (10) days before
the trial date shall not be accepted by the court except upon a written finding by the
assigned district judge of extraordinary circumstances. A defendant may plead guilty,
the state may dismiss charges, and the parties may recommend a sentence but the
court shall not agree to comply with a plea agreement in this circumstance absent a
written finding of extraordinary circumstances;
(ii)
Track 3 - deadline for pretrial conference. The final pretrial
conference, including any hearing on any remaining pretrial motions if needed, shall be
scheduled twenty (20) days before the trial date. Each party shall file its final trial
witness list on or before this date. The defendant shall be present for the final pretrial
conference;
(iii)
Track 3 - deadline for notice of need for court interpreter. All parties
shall identify by filing notice with the court any requirement for language access
services at trial by a party or witness fifteen (15) days before the trial date;
(iv)
Track 3 - deadline for pretrial motions hearing. A hearing for
resolution of pretrial motions shall be set not less than forty-five (45) days before the
trial date;
(v)
Track 3 - deadline for pretrial motions. Pretrial motions shall be filed
not less than seventy (70) days before the trial date;
(vi)
Track 3 - deadline for responses to pretrial motions. Written
responses to any pretrial motions shall be filed within ten (10) days of the filing of any
pretrial motions and in any case not less than fifty-five (55) days before the trial date.
Failure to file a written response shall be deemed, for purposes of deciding the motion,
an admission of the facts stated in the motion;
(vii)
Track 3 - deadlines for requesting and completing witness
interviews. Witness interviews shall be completed not less than one hundred (100) days
before the trial date. Absent agreement by the parties or order of the court the state
shall be responsible for scheduling pretrial witness interviews of the state’s witnesses,
and the defendant shall be responsible for scheduling pretrial witness interviews of the
defendant’s witnesses. A party wishing to interview witnesses of the other party’s initial
witness list shall request those interviews no later than twenty (21) days after the
issuance of the scheduling order. The requesting party shall give dates of availability for
witness interviews during the sixty (60) days following the request and the party
receiving the request shall make reasonable efforts to schedule the requested
interviews during that sixty (60)-day period. If a party files a new witness list adding new
witnesses, any requests to interview those new witnesses shall be made no later than
seven (7) days after the new witness list is served upon the requesting party. At all
times the parties shall act diligently and in good faith in requesting, scheduling, and, as
necessary, rescheduling witness interviews. The court shall not consider failure to
conduct pretrial interviews of witnesses as the basis of any sanction unless the party
moving for sanctions followed the requirements of this subparagraph in requesting
those interviews; and
(viii)
Track 3 - deadline for disclosure of scientific evidence. All parties
shall produce the results of any scientific evidence, if not already produced, not less
than one hundred fifty (150) days before the trial date. The court may provide for
production of scientific evidence less than one hundred fifty (150) days before the trial
date as long as the modification does not result in a delay of the date scheduled for trial.
(6)
Form of scheduling order; additional requirements and shorter
deadlines allowed. The court may adopt upon order of the chief judge of the district
court a form to be used to implement the time requirements of this rule. Additional
requirements may be included in the scheduling order at the discretion of the assigned
judge and the judge may alter any of the deadlines described in Subparagraph (G)(5) of
this rule to allow for the case to come to trial sooner.
(7)
Extensions of time; cumulative limit. The court may shorten or extend
deadlines in the scheduling order provided any extensions of time shall not result in
delay of the plea deadline or the date scheduled for commencement of trial.
H. Time limits for commencement of trial. As deemed necessary, the court may
enter an amended scheduling order to extend the time limits for commencement of trial
consistent with the deadlines in Paragraph G whenever one of the following triggering
events occurs:
(1)
the date of arraignment or the filing of a waiver of arraignment of the
defendant;
(2)
if an evaluation of competency has been ordered, the date an order is filed
in the court finding the defendant competent to stand trial;
(3)
if a mistrial is declared by the trial court, the date such order is filed in the
court;
(4)
in the event of a remand from an appeal, the date the mandate or order is
filed in the court disposing of the appeal;
(5)
if the defendant is arrested on any valid warrant in the case or surrenders
in this state on any valid warrant in the case, the date of the arrest or surrender of the
defendant;
(6)
if the defendant is arrested or surrenders in another state or country, the
date the defendant is returned to this state;
(7)
if the defendant has been referred to a preprosecution or court diversion
program, the date a notice is filed in the court that the defendant has been deemed not
eligible for, is terminated from, or is otherwise removed from the preprosecution or court
diversion program;
(8)
if the defendant’s case is severed from a case to which it was previously
joined, the date from which the cases are severed, except that the nonmoving
defendant or at least one of the nonmoving defendants shall continue on the same
basis as previously established under these rules for track assignment and otherwise;
(9)
if a defendant’s case is severed into multiple trials, the date from which the
case is severed into multiple trials, except that the court shall continue at least one of
the previously-joined defendants or counts on the original track assignment, which
defendant or counts shall be determined by the court upon consideration of the
complexity of the now-severed cases or counts;
(10)
if a judge enters a recusal and the newly-assigned judge determines the
change in judge assignment reasonably requires additional time to bring the case to
trial, the date the recusal is entered;
(11)
if the court grants a change of venue and the court determines the change
in venue reasonably requires additional time to bring the case to trial, the date of the
court’s order; or
(12)
if the court grants a motion to withdraw defendant’s plea, the date of the
court’s order.
I. Failure to comply.
(1)
If a party fails to comply with any provision of this rule or the time limits
imposed by a scheduling order entered under this rule, the court shall impose sanctions
as the court may deem appropriate in the circumstances and taking into consideration
the reasons for the failure to comply.
(2)
In considering the sanction to be applied the court shall not accept
negligence or the usual press of business as sufficient excuse for failure to comply. If
the case has been refiled following an earlier dismissal, dismissal with prejudice is the
presumptive outcome for a repeated failure to comply with this rule, subject to the
provisions in Subparagraph (I)(6).
(3)
A motion for sanctions for failure to comply with this rule or any of the
Rules of Criminal Procedure must be made in writing, except that an oral motion may be
made during a setting scheduled for another purpose if the basis of the motion was not
and reasonably could not have been known prior to that setting.
(4)
The sanctions the court may impose under this paragraph include, but are
not limited to, the following:
(a) a reprimand by the judge;
(b) prohibiting a party from calling a witness or introducing evidence;
(c) a monetary fine imposed upon a party’s attorney or that attorney’s
employing office with appropriate notice to the office and an opportunity to be heard;
(d) civil or criminal contempt; and
(e) dismissal of the case with or without prejudice, subject to the provisions in
Subparagraph (I)(6).
(5)
The court shall not impose any sanction against the State for violation of
this rule if an in-custody defendant was not at a court setting as a result or a failure to
transport, except that the court may impose a sanction if the failure to transport was
attributable to the prosecutor’s failure to properly prepare and serve a transportation
order if so required.
(6)
The sanction of dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall not be imposed
if the failure to comply with this rule is caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond
the control of the parties. Any court order of dismissal with or without prejudice or
prohibiting a party from calling a witness or introducing evidence shall be in writing and
include findings of fact regarding the moving party’s proof of and the court’s
consideration of the above factors.
J. Extension of time for trial; reassignment; dismissal with prejudice;
sanctions.
(1)
Extending date for trial; good cause or exceptional circumstances;
reassignment to available judge for trial permitted; sanctions. The court may
extend the trial date for a total of up to thirty (30) days for a track 1 case, forty-five (45)
days for a track 2 case, and sixty (60) days for a track 3 case, upon showing of good
cause which is beyond the control of the parties or the court. To grant such an
extension the court shall enter written findings of good cause. If on the date the case is
set or reset for trial the court is unable to hear a case for any reason, including a trailing
docket, the case may be reassigned for immediate trial to any available judge or judge
pro tempore, in the manner provided in Paragraph K of this rule. If the court is unable to
proceed to trial and must grant an extension for reasons the court does not find meet
the requirement of good cause, the court shall impose sanctions as provided in
Paragraph I of this rule, which may include dismissal of the case with prejudice subject
to the provisions in Subparagraph (I)(6). Without regard to which party requests any
extension of the trial date, the court shall not extend the trial date more than sixty (60)
days beyond the original date scheduled for commencement of trial without a written
finding of exceptional circumstances approved in writing by the chief judge or a judge,
including a judge pro tempore previously approved to preside over such matters by
order of the Chief Justice, that the chief judge designates.
(2)
Requirements for extension of trial date for exceptional
circumstances. When the chief judge or the chief judge’s designee accepts the finding
by the trial judge of exceptional circumstances, the chief judge shall approve
rescheduling of the trial to a date certain. The order granting an extension to a date
certain for extraordinary circumstances may reassign the case to a different judge for
trial or include any other relief necessary to bring the case to prompt resolution.
(3)
Requirements for multiple requests. Any extension sought beyond the
date certain in a previously granted extension will again require a finding by the trial
judge of exceptional circumstances approved in writing by the chief judge or designee
with an extension to a date certain.
(4)
Rejecting extension request for exceptional circumstances;
dismissal required. In the event the chief judge or designee rejects the trial judge’s
request for an extension based on exceptional circumstances, the case shall be tried
within the previously ordered time limit or shall be dismissed with prejudice if it is not,
subject to the provisions in Subparagraph (I)(6).
K. Assignment calendar for cases.
(1)
Scheduling by event categories; trailing docket; functional overlap
among judges. The presiding judge of the criminal division shall establish an
assignment calendar for all judges. The assignment calendar shall identify the weeks or
other time periods when each judge will schedule events in the following categories:
trials; motions and sentencing; arraignments, pleas and miscellaneous matters. Each
judge may schedule an event in the week or other time period set aside for that event
category, on a trailing docket. The assignment calendar shall include functional overlap
so that more than one judge is always scheduled to hear matters in each event category
on any given day. In the scheduled weeks or other time periods, the judges shall
schedule events within the time requirements of Paragraph G of this rule.
(2)
Reassignments permitted. If on or before the date of a scheduled event,
the assigned judge is or will be unable to preside over the scheduled event for any
reason, including a trailing docket, vacation, or illness, the case may be reassigned by
order of the presiding judge of the criminal division to another judge on the assignment
calendar so long as the other judge
(a) is scheduled that day to hear that category of scheduled event; and
(b) was not subject to a previously-exercised peremptory excusal.
This subparagraph does not apply to sentencing hearings following a trial. The judge
who presided at trial shall conduct the sentencing. The court may adopt a form of order
to expedite permitted reassignments.
(3)
Reassignment for scheduled event; case returns to original judge. If
another judge scheduled on the assignment calendar for the type of scheduled event is
not available to immediately preside over the scheduled event, the assigned judge may
designate any other new calendar judge, or a judge pro tempore previously approved by
order of the Chief Justice and designated by the chief judge for this purpose, to preside
over the scheduled hearing, trial, or other scheduled event. A judge designated for this
purpose shall not have been previously excused from the case. Upon conclusion of the
hearing, trial, or other scheduled event, the case shall again be assigned to the original
judge without requirement of further order, except when the reassignment was for trial in
which case the judge who presided over the trial shall also preside over sentencing.
L. A new probable cause determination is not required for recently refiled
charges. If a probable cause determination has been made by preliminary hearing or
grand jury and the court dismisses the case without prejudice, the same charges may
be refiled under the same case number by information within six (6) months of the
dismissal without requiring a new probable cause determination.
M. Data reporting to the Supreme Court required. The chief judge, district
attorney, and public defender shall provide statistical reports to the Supreme Court as
directed.