Announcement Regarding Return to Pre-Pandemic Scheduling Practices; Participating by Phone

=== Announcement Regarding Return to Pre-Pandemic Scheduling Practices ===

ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING JUDGE CARR’S RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC SCHEDULING PRACTICES Effective March 1, 2023, Judge Carr will return to his pre-pandemic practices regarding scheduling matters for status conference, hearing or trial. • Status conferences in adversary proceedings will be conducted telephonically. • Hearings and trials will be conducted in the courtroom, including chapter 13 hearings which are held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. As exceptions to the general rule, telephonic hearings for specific proceedings may be set on a case-by-case basis. Requests for telephonic participation in matters to be heard in the courtroom may be directed to Judge Carr's courtroom deputy or chambers staff. Judge Carr requests the assistance of counsel in advising their clients to attend hearings in the courtroom on and after March 1, 2023, particularly where clients have attended past hearings telephonically. Any hearing that is currently set to be held telephonically after March 1, 2023 will remain a telephonic hearing. Chapter 13 trustees may continue to submit written requests by email to Judge Carr’s courtroom deputy, with all counsel copied, requesting that certain hearings to be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays be vacated by agreement of the parties.

=== Participating by Phone ===

GUIDELINES FOR TELEPHONIC PARTICIPATION Judge James M. Carr Effective May 28, 2014 Attorneys or parties wishing to participate in hearings by telephone should be mindful of the following guidelines: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Examination or cross examination of witnesses by an attorney participating by telephone is not permitted. Telephone participants should not operate a motor vehicle during their participation. Telephone participants should use a land line (e.g., avoid using a cell phone) if at all possible. The Court wants to minimize inadvertent disconnects requiring call backs and causing disruptions. Telephone participants should only talk when invited to do so by the Court in order to avoid talking over other participants. Telephone participants should try to avoid significant background noise. If a telephonic participant puts a call on hold, he or she should ensure background music features have been disabled; the Court and other participants should not be forced to endure your elevator music. Be aware that any pre-hearing conversation between telephone participants may be broadcast by speaker into the courtroom and result in unintentional embarrassment.