Judge Melba D. Marsh
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Adjournments
- Counsel must provide a valid and necessary reason for a continuance.
Request must include
Document Format Requirements1 rule
At pretrial, attorneys should give the court a hard copy of the pretrial statement, jury instructions, and an electronic copy in Word or WordPerfect of these documents.
- Pretrial statement
- Jury instructions
Formatting
- •Electronic copies must be in Word or WordPerfect format
Document Filing Requirements2 rules
At pretrial, attorneys should give the court a hard copy of the pretrial statement, jury instructions, and an electronic copy in Word or WordPerfect of these documents.
As mentioned above, a pretrial statement should be delivered on the pretrial date.
Filing & Service rules
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Counsel must provide a valid and necessary reason for a continuance.
Counsel must provide valid and necessary reason for continuances.
Page 1 | Calendaring/Continuances
Chambers Communication Rules
For a criminal matter, attorneys should contact the room prosecutor before reporting to the bailiff.
For criminal matters, contact the room prosecutor before reporting to the bailiff.
Page 1 | Courtroom Etiquette
For criminal continuances, first contact the room prosecutor and then the bailiff.
For criminal matters, contact the room prosecutor initially and then the bailiff.
Page 1 | Calendaring/Continuances
Civil motions are generally set for the afternoon but may be canceled or postponed when a trial is in progress.
Civil motions are generally scheduled in the afternoon, but are subject to cancellation or postponement if a trial is in progress.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Contact the bailiff to set the date and time for a criminal motion.
Contact the bailiff to set the date and time.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
On arrival in the courtroom for a civil matter, attorneys should report to the law clerk.
When attorneys arrive in the courtroom, they should report to the law clerk for civil matters.
Page 1 | Courtroom Etiquette
For civil continuances, first contact opposing counsel and provide the law clerk with a proposed date.
For civil matters, contact opposing counsel initially and provide the law clerk with proposed date.
Page 1 | Calendaring/Continuances
After filing a civil motion, contact the law clerk and schedule a hearing date with opposing counsel.
Contact the law clerk after the civil motion is filed and schedule a date for hearing with opposing counsel.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Attorneys with specific concerns should call before their trial date.
Attorneys should call in advance of their trial date if they have specific concerns.
Page 1 | Trial
If a case is in progress, attorneys should wait until an appropriate time to report.
If a case is in progress, please wait to report until an appropriate time.
Page 1 | Courtroom Etiquette
Criminal motions are scheduled in the morning.
Criminal motions are scheduled in the mornings.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
The court occasionally sets aside days for civil motion hearings.
Occasionally, days are set aside for hearing civil motions.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Civil motions may also be scheduled in the morning on days set aside for motion hearings.
On those days, motions may be scheduled in the morning also.
Page 1 | Motion Practice