ABRAHAM RIBICOFF FEDERAL BUILDING United States Courthouse 450 Main Street - Room 217 Hartford, Connecticut 06103
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Location: North Courtroom
Judge Chatigny will schedule oral argument when counsel requests it in a complex case, when issues are not fully developed in the papers, or when it appears that conducting oral argument in person or by telephone will help move the case along, e.g., by facilitating a bench ruling on the motion.
Judge Chatigny refers most discovery motions to a magistrate judge. He usually does not refer dispositive motions. He also refers settlement conferences to magistrate judges, para-judicial officers, and the special masters panel.
Judge Chatigny occasionally rules from the bench.
Judge Chatigny assumes that counsel will confer with their clients and with each other in a substantive manner and at some length in order to prepare a proper Rule 26(f) Report, which should be treated as one of the most important filings in a case. Judge Chatigny expects counsel to propose a firm date for completing discovery in a realistic time frame. All other dates in the scheduling order are based on the discovery deadline. A settlement conference is usually held within thirty days after the discovery deadline. The joint trial memorandum is usually due sixty days after the settlement conference. Cases are placed on Judge Chatigny's jury selection list for the month following the due date for the joint trial memorandum.
Judge Chatigny frequently conducts pretrial conferences by telephone and occasionally schedules dispositive motions for oral argument by telephone. Discovery motions usually are not handled by telephone but are referred to a magistrate judge.
Judge Chatigny has no set policy with respect to sur-reply briefs. Counsel rarely submit these briefs.
Judge Chatigny feels strongly that counsel should not submit letter briefs, even to call recent case law to the court's attention. Instead, he suggests that counsel file a request for leave to file a supplemental brief and then attach the supplemental brief with the new case law.
Judge Chatigny likes to receive chambers' copies of dispositive motions.
Judge Chatigny grants motions for extension of time for good cause shown. However, he is concerned when motions for extensions of the discovery deadline date established pursuant to the Rule 26(f) Report continue to be filed by some counsel on a regular basis, despite the purpose and intent of the applicable rules. According to Judge Chatigny, the purpose of the Rule 26(f) Report is to provide a schedule established pursuant to the parties' case management plan that is not to be modified except in unusual circumstances. Counsel are encouraged to propose a realistic discovery deadline date and then commence discovery without delay so that modifications of the discovery deadline date will be unnecessary.
Judge Chatigny has no set policy for dealing with motions for reconsideration.
Judge Chatigny will not grant ex parte relief on motions for temporary restraining orders unless the movant can demonstrate extraordinary circumstances. When counsel for one party comes to court seeking ex parte relief, he usually asks counsel to try to reach the opposing party or its counsel by telephone.
Judge Chatigny has no set policy for dealing with motions for preliminary injunctions.
Judge Chatigny refers motions for pre-judgment remedy to the magistrate judge.
Counsel should attach motions in limine to the joint trial memorandum.
Judge Chatigny does not require lawyer affidavits and believes they should not be filed unless necessary to prove a point within the lawyer's exclusive knowledge.
Judge Chatigny requires parties to request a pre-filing conference before filing motions to dismiss or for summary judgment. The purpose of the requirement is to encourage lawyers to discuss the proposed motion in much the same way lawyers are now accustomed to discussing discovery disputes before submitting them to court. A request for a pre-filing conference regarding a proposed motion to dismiss should be made as soon as possible after service of the summons and complaint. A request for a pre-filing conference regarding a motion for summary judgment usually must be made not later than forty-five days before the discovery deadline established pursuant to the parties' case management plan.
Judge Chatigny usually refers discovery disputes to a magistrate judge.
Judge Chatigny ordinarily does not participate in settlement conferences. Instead, he usually relies on the magistrate judges, para-judicial officers, and special masters.
Trials are conducted from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Trials are conducted Monday through Thursday.
Judge Chatigny does not impose any strict limitations regarding the length of the trial. At the final pretrial conference he reviews with counsel the estimated time for each witness and develops a reasonable estimate for the length of the trial with them. He believes that it is important to give the prospective jurors an accurate estimate as to the length of the trial.
During his preliminary jury instructions, Judge Chatigny informs the jurors that they should expect to hear a direct examination, a cross-examination, and if necessary a redirect examination. Lawyers should not expect to engage in re-cross-examination, but this is a rebuttable presumption. If a lawyer asks for re-cross, and if it appears reasonable under the circumstances, the judge will probably grant it.
If the parties request an opportunity to make a concise, non-argumentative opening statement, he will grant their request. The opening statement should be used merely to inform the jurors what is coming, not to make arguments. He does not believe the local rule should be changed to entitle opening statements because it will merely induce parties to make the statements when they really don't need them (e.g. simple one - or two-day trials).
Judge Chatigny usually grants each party one hour to make a final argument. The plaintiff typically reserves fifteen minutes for rebuttal. The judge expects the rebuttal to be a genuine rebuttal, not an opportunity to hide the ball until the end. He does not put a watch on the parties, but relies upon their good-faith effort to keep within the one-hour limit.
Blow-ups, advocacy diagrams, etc. do not come into evidence unless the parties agree.
At the final pretrial conference an effort will be made to resolve all evidentiary issues. If an exhibit is approved at that conference, it is pre-marked and becomes a full exhibit. Counsel does not need to move it into evidence thereafter. If the judge reserves a ruling on a particular exhibit, the parties must move it into evidence during the trial.
The pretrial order requires the parties to pre-mark their exhibits.
At the final pretrial conference, the judge stresses the obligations of counsel to use the jury's time efficiently. He directs counsel to raise procedural issues and arguments with him before or after the trial day or during breaks. He understands that unexpected disputes may arise, but he expects them to be kept to a minimum.
Judge Chatigny does not want arguments in front of the jury. The objecting party should stand to be recognized and then concisely indicate the nature of the objection (e.g. "relevance," "hearsay," etc.). The rule does not need to be recited in the objection. The opposing counsel will then be asked to respond. Again, the judge is looking for a concise response rather than an argument.
The software program employed by the clerk's office does not allow the distribution of detailed juror profiles.
Judge Chatigny will ask the voir dire questions that have been submitted. Thereafter, he will invite counsel to follow up with their own questions, directed either to individual venire members or to the whole panel.
Eight jurors are selected with no alternates unless specifically requested due to the length of the trial.
Juror notebooks are allowed if they are provided by the parties.
Juror notes are allowed; the court provides steno pads and pencils.
The jury charge is provided in writing to the jury.
Judge Chatigny has not been asked to give approval for post-verdict communications -- and he would be reluctant to do so.
Motions in limine are specifically called for in the pretrial order and are decided at the final pretrial conference.
Counsel are encouraged to contact the Clerk's Office for information and assistance regarding the use of the Court's systems.
Counsel may stand behind the podium, but may, with the court's permission, approach the witness or the jury in connection with their examinations.
