Judge Benjamin H. Settle
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Communication
Document Format Requirements19 rules
All exhibits must be pre-marked by counsel using the following format: Cause No.:________________ Plainti or Defendant Exh #:______________ Admitted: (leave blank)
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Exhibits pre-marked by counsel
- •Format includes Cause No., Plaintiff/Defendant Exh #, Admitted (left blank)
3 sets of paper copies for each party shall be submitted to the Courtroom Deputy the morning of trial in binders with tabbed dividers between exhibits and shall be marked on the side of binder 1) Clerk, 2) Judge and 3) Witness.
- Binding
- Tabbed binder
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •3 paper copies per party
- •Tabbed dividers between exhibits
Judge Settle requires 3 binders of paper copies and 2 thumb drives (electronic) from each party unless otherwise instructed by the Courtroom Deputy.
Formatting
- •3 paper binders per party
- •2 electronic thumb drives per party
- •Subject to Courtroom Deputy instructions
Audio/video exhibits must be playable in Windows Media Player or VLC Media Player, with no unique codecs required.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •No unique codecs or media players allowed, convert to approved format
Court's wording
Exhibits that contain audio or video must be playable in Windows Media Player OR VLC Media Player. (Video files requiring their own unique codec or media player are not acceptable and need to be converted to an acceptable format to work with approved players. )
2 sets of thumb drives for each party must be submitted to the Courtroom Deputy the morning of trial. Exhibits must be in PDF format and should be scanned using Optical Character Recognition if possible and encoded as a searchable PDF. The exhibits should be named the same (see above) as paper exhibits (Plaintiff = 001-499, Defendant = 500-forward).
- File type
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •2 thumb drives per party
- •OCR scanned if possible, searchable PDF
- •Named per plaintiff (001-499) and defendant (500-forward) numbering
Plaintiff’s exhibits shall consecutively be marked beginning with number 001-499.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Plaintiff exhibits consecutively numbered 001-499
Duplicate documents shall not be listed twice on the exhibit list.
- Exhibit list
Formatting
- •No duplicate documents listed on exhibit list
Defendant’s exhibits shall consecutively be marked beginning with number 500-forward.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Defendant exhibits consecutively numbered 500-forward
A joint exhibit list in Microsoft Word format (auto numbering off) must be emailed to the Courtroom Deputy before trial, following the paper exhibit numbering system.
- File type
- Word
- Exhibit list
Formatting
- •Joint exhibit list
- •Auto numbering turned off
- •Emailed to Courtroom Deputy prior to trial
- •Follow paper exhibit numbering system
Court's wording
A joint exhibit list in Microsoft Word format (auto numbering turned o ) must be emailed to the Courtroom Deputy prior to the trial date and follow the same numbering system as the paper exhibits. This exhibit list can be found here: Judge Benjamin H. Settle Chambers Procedures | Western District of Washington | United States District Court
Newly admitted exhibits during trial require daily email to Courtroom Deputy with description, PDF via email or thumb drive, plus paper copies with new dividers.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Submit PDF via email or thumb drive with correct new exhibit number
- •Paper versions with new dividers required
Court's wording
If new exhibits are admitted during trial, counsel must email daily the Courtroom Deputy the description of the admitted exhibit(s) and (depending on number of exhibits or size) must either email the PDF with the correct new exhibit number or deliver a thumb drive with only the newly admitted exhibits attached. Paper versions must also be provided with new dividers.
Each exhibit must be a single PDF document
- File type
- Exhibits
Exhibits that contain audio or video must be playable in Windows Media Player
Exhibits must be on a CD or thumb-drive (preferred) in PDF format
- Preferred format
- Exhibits
An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court prior to the trial date.
- File type
- Word
- Exhibit list
Each exhibit must be a single PDF document
- File type
Exhibits must be on a CD or thumb-drive (preferred) in PDF format
- Preferred format
Exhibits that contain audio or video must be playable in Windows Media Player
PDF documents should be scanned using Optical Character Recognition if possible and encoded as a searchable PDF
- File type
PDF documents should be scanned using Optical Character Recognition if possible and encoded as a searchable PDF
- File type
Document Filing Requirements12 rules
Counsel are expected to submit agreed additional instructions and each side’s disputed proposed instructions with explanations and supporting citations.
Court's wording
Counsel will be expected to submit to the Court (1) any further instructions upon which the opposing parties have conferred and agreed and (2) each side's proposed jury instructions upon which no agreement has been reached, along with explanations and any citations supporting differing positions.
Stipulated motions should be filed as a “stipulated motion” rather than a “stipulation,” “agreed motion,” or “unopposed motion.”
When filing stipulations, include a proposed order for the Judge to sign and send a Word version of the order to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.
- Document
- Stipulated motion
Include
- •Proposed order
Exhibits must be presented to the Court prior to the trial date.
Exhibits must be numbered as follows:
When filing stipulations, include a proposed order for the Judge to sign
- Document
- Stipulation
Include
- •Proposed order
Exhibits must be presented to the Court prior to the trial date.
Exhibits must use the specified numbering formats for plaintiff and defendant exhibits.
Court's wording
Exhibits must be numbered as follows: Plaintiff: 00001 Defendant: A0001 00002 A0002 00003 A0003 00003a A0003a
Each side's set of proposed instructions should also include a proposed verdict form.
Exhibits should be numbered as follows on the Word list:
The Word exhibit list should number plaintiff and defendant exhibits using the specified formats.
Court's wording
Exhibits should be numbered as follows on the Word list: Plaintiff: 1 Defendant: A-1 2 A-2 3 A-3 3a A-3a
Stipulated motions may be noted for the day they are filed, but may not necessarily be signed that day.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court before the trial date at the specified address.
An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court prior to the trial date. Please email to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov
Page 2 | Submitting Electronic Evidence
The Court prefers proposed jury instructions to be filed on ECF and a Word version to be emailed to the specified address.
It is the Court's preference that proposed jury instructions be filed on ECF and a Word version of the instructions submitted via e-mail to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.
Page 1 | JURY INSTRUCTIONS
Chambers Communication Rules
The exhibit list must be emailed to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.
Please email to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov
Page 2 | Submitting Electronic Evidence
A Word version of the proposed order must be sent to the specified email address.
send a Word version of the order to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.
Page 1 | STIPULATIONS
Questions about exhibit numbering should be directed by email to the courtroom deputy.
If you have any questions about this numbering requirement, please contact the courtroom deputy at mary_trent@wawd.uscourts.gov
Page 2 | Submitting Electronic Evidence
Questions about exhibit numbering may be directed to the courtroom deputy by email.
If you have any questions about this numbering requirement, please contact the courtroom deputy at mary_trent@wawd.uscourts.gov
Page 2 | Submitting Electronic Evidence