Pretrial Procedures

(a) Applicability of Rule. All cases, except those exempted herein, are subject to the provisions of this local rule, but the judge assigned to any such case may, in his or her discretion, order the case exempt. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, the following categories of actions are exempt from the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b) and this local rule: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Cases exempt from initial disclosure under Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(1)(B); Social Security Reviews/Appeals; Bankruptcy Appeals and Withdrawals; Immigration and Deportation Actions; Forfeiture and Statutory Penalty Actions; Federal Tax Suits; (7) Multidistrict Litigation Actions; (8) (9) Government Collection Actions; Governmental Administrative Enforcement Proceedings; (10) Eminent Domain Proceedings; (11) Land Condemnation Actions; (12) Foreclosure Actions; (13) Rent, Lease and Ejectment Actions; (14) Tort Product Liability - Asbestos Cases Only; (15) Cases for review of administrative decisions under the Employment Retirement Income Security Act; (16) State Reapportionment Actions; (17) Selective Service Actions; (18) Equal Access to Justice Act Filings; (19) Freedom of Information Act Suits; (20) Food Stamp Denial Actions; (21) Proceedings to compel arbitration or to confirm or set aside arbitration awards; (22) Proceedings relating solely to the giving of testimony or production of documents; (23) Proceedings involving water rights matters; Northern District of Oklahoma Local Rules Page 33 of 90 Effective Date: 10/10/2024 (24) Proceedings requesting injunctive or emergency relief only; and (25) Cases assigned to be heard by a three-judge panel. In exempt cases, the Court may issue standard scheduling orders, require compliance with the disclosure provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a), or require compliance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) relating to planning meetings between the parties.

(b) Scheduling and Planning. (1) Joint Status Report. In all nonexempt cases (and in exempt cases when directed to do so by the Court), trial counsel for all parties, and pro se parties, if any, shall confer and prepare and file a Joint Status Report (Form CV-03), available on the Court’s website. The Court may order the filing of a Joint Status Report by a date certain.

However, if the Court does not order the filing of a Joint Status Report by a date certain, the Report shall be filed in accordance with the timing set forth in Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f). (2) Required Attendance at Conference. Counsel with authority to make appropriate decisions and pro se parties shall attend any conference required by the Court. When justified by the circumstances, the Court may allow counsel or pro se parties to participate in such conference remotely.

Pro se parties and counsel shall be prepared to discuss all relevant matters enumerated in Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(c)(2). (c) Pretrial Responsibilities. (1) Preparation of Status Reports, Final Pretrial Orders, and Other Orders. (A) Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, plaintiff’s counsel, with full and timely cooperation of other counsel and pro se parties, is responsible for preparing, obtaining approval of all parties, and furnishing the Court any status reports, pretrial orders, or other orders required by the Court or these local rules.

(B) The jointly prepared, proposed, final Pretrial Order, conforming to the format required by the judge presiding in the case, shall be tendered to the Clerk of Court by plaintiff’s counsel seven days before the pretrial conference, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. The proposed, final Pretrial Order shall be submitted in compliance with the Procedure for Submitting Proposed Documents to the Court, available on the Court’s website.