SCOPE AND PURPOSE

(a) (b) These are the Local Rules of Civil Practice for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. These rules are promulgated under 28 U.S.C. § 2071 and Fed. R. Civ. P. 83 and apply to all civil proceedings unless the court orders otherwise. These rules will be administered in a manner to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding. The court is committed to assisting attorneys and parties in reducing costs in civil cases.

It is the obligation of attorneys, as officers of the court, to work toward the prompt completion of each case and to minimize litigation expense. These rules provide the basic tools for management of civil cases, including discovery. Effective advocacy depends on cooperative use of these rules to manage cases in a cost-effective manner. Attorneys and litigants should consider the following non-exhaustive means for reducing costs: (1) limiting and phasing discovery; (2) using the assigned magistrate judge to resolve discovery disputes by telephone or informal conference; (3) using pre-discovery alternative dispute resolution, including, if appropriate, a pre-discovery early settlement conference with a magistrate judge; (4) consent to trial by a magistrate judge under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73; and (5) use of the Short Trial Program, General Order 2013-1.

The court will support the utilization of these tools and, if necessary, impose them when appropriate and helpful to reduce costs or more effectively manage and resolve civil cases. (c) The court expects a high degree of professionalism and civility from attorneys. There should be no difference between an attorney’s professional conduct when appearing before the court and when engaged outside it, whether in discovery or any other phase of a case.