Request for Assignment of a Single Case to a Single Judge

(a) In any case that the court or parties believe is likely to be complex, or where other reasons of efficiency or the interests of justice dictate, the chief judge of the district or the chief judge's designee may order that all pretrial and trial proceedings shall be heard before a single judge. The court may enter such an order at any time on its own initiative, in response to a suggestion in a party's civil cover sheet filed under Rule 104, or on the motion of any party, and shall enter such an order when the requirements of Rule 113.01(b) have been met. The motion shall comply with these rules and shall be supported by affidavit(s). In any case assigned to a single judge pursuant to this Rule that judge shall actively use enhanced judicial management techniques, including, but not limited to, the setting of a firm trial date, establishment of a discovery cut off date, and periodic case conferences. (b) Grounds. Unless the court finds that court management of the claims and/or issues involved has become routine or that the interests of justice require otherwise, the court shall order that all pretrial and trial proceedings shall be heard before a single judge upon a showing that the action is likely to involve one or more of the following: (1) numerous pretrial motions raising difficult or novel legal issues that will be time consuming to resolve; (2) management of a large number of witnesses or substantial amount of documentary evidence; (3) management of a large number of separately represented parties; (4) the opportunity to coordinate with related actions pending in another court; (5) substantial post-judgment judicial supervision. (Added effective July 1, 1994; amended effective March 1, 2001; amended effective July 1, 2013.) Published by the Revisor of Statutes under Minnesota Statutes, section 3C.08, subdivision 1. 81 GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE MINNESOTA COURT RULES