Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_03-cv-04854/USCOURTS-cand-4_03-cv-04854-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Employment Discrimination

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DARIN FIELDS, et al.,

Plaintiff(s), No. C 03-4854 PJH 

v. TRIAL RULES 

AND PROCEDURES

CHERNE CONTRACTING CORP.

Defendant(s).

___________________________________/

In order to ensure the orderly and efficient presentation of the evidence at trial, the parties

shall adhere to the following rules and procedures unless specifically ordered otherwise by the

court.

1. EXHIBITS

The Case Management and Pretrial Order requires that all exhibits be premarked and

tabbed, and that at least two sets of the exhibits be submitted prior to the pretrial conference.

One of these sets of each parties' exhibits will be placed on the witness stand for use by each

witness during direct and cross-examination. 

However, for cases in which the number of exhibits from any party exceed one hundred,

all parties shall additionally prepare separate binders containing the exhibits that will be used

during the direct and cross examination of each witness. Binders shall be provided to each

witness, to opposing counsel and to the court as each witness is called to testify.

With regard to those exhibits notincluded in the pretrial exchange (e.g. rebuttal exhibits),

the parties shall have sufficient copies for the witness, opposing counseland the court at the time

of theirintroduction. Exhibits to be used for demonstrative (illustrative) purposes only will notbe

admitted as evidence and shall be shown to opposing counselat least 24 hours prior to theiruse

at trial. Exhibits about which no testimony is elicited at trial, will not be admitted as evidence.

2. WITNESSES

Case 4:03-cv-04854-PJH Document 145 Filed 07/14/05 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

(a) Counsel shall have their witnesses review, prior to taking the stand, all exhibits

which counsel intends to question the witness about during direct examination.

(b) Only one lawyer for each party may examine any one witness. 

(c) Counsel shall not approach a witness without first obtaining leave of court.

(d) Counsel shall refrain from eliciting testimony regarding undisputed facts set forth

in the parties' PretrialStatement(s). If the case is being tried before a jury, the court will read the

undisputedfactsfrom the PretrialStatement(s) at the appropriate time asdeterminedbycounsel.

(e) Ifcounsel intends to have a witness either drawdiagrams, orputmarkingsonvisual

exhibits or diagrams prepared by the party calling the witness, the witness shall do so before

taking the stand. Once on the stand, the witness shall adopt the diagrams and/or markings and

explain what they represent. If the diagram or visual exhibit is prepared by the opposing party,

the witness shall not make any markings onthe diagram or exhibit unless requested to do so by

the opposing party.

(f) Counsel are expected to have sufficient witnesses ready to testify each trial day.

Any gaps in trial time occasioned by the failure to have a witness readyshall be counted toward

the party's allocated trialtime in cases where the parties have been allocated a specific amount

of trial time pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 16(c)(15) and General Signal v. MCI

Telecommunications Corp., 66 F. 3d 1500 (9th Cir. 1995). Counsel are expected to cooperate

with each other in the scheduling and production of witnesses. Witnesses may be taken out of

order if necessary. Every effort shall be made to avoid calling a witness twice.

(g) Whenthe court recesses eachday, counselshall inform opposing counselofwhich

witnesses counsel intend to call during the next trial day.

3. DEPOSITIONS

The depositionof an adverse partymaybe used for any purpose. It is unnecessary to ask

the witness if he/she recalls it or otherwise lay a foundation. Simply identifythe deposition, page

and line numbers, and read the relevant portion. Opposing counsel may then immediately ask

to read any additional testimony that is necessary to complete the context.

The deposition of a witness not a party may be used for impeachment or if the witness is

unavailable as described in Fed. R. Civ. P. 32(a)(3). For impeachment, first allowthe witness to

Case 4:03-cv-04854-PJH Document 145 Filed 07/14/05 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

read to him or herself the designated portion and then simply ask if he/she gave that testimony,

and then read it out loud. Opposing counsel may immediately ask to read 

additional testimony necessary to complete the context. 

If a deposition is introduced because a witness or party is unavailable, do not offer the

depositionwholesale;rather, counselshall only offer copies of the relevant portions. The relevant

portions may be read into the record (jury trials) or may be submitted to the court for its review

(court trials). If submitted rather than read, the submission shall be joint and shall contain a list of

the excerpts selected by each party, objections if any, and the highlighted portions of the

transcript.

4. OBJECTIONS

To make anobjection, counselshallrise,say"objection," and briefly state the legalground

(e.g. "hearsay," "irrelevant"). There shall be no "speaking objections" or argument from either

counsel unless requested by the court.

5. SIDEBARS

Bench conferences during jury trials will be permitted only for truly extenuating

circumstances. All matters of substantial evidentiary importance must be raised by motion in

limine so thattheymaybe resolved prior to trial. Disputes regarding witnesses or exhibits will be

resolved,to the extentpossible,at the pretrial conference. If any other disputes will be addressed

either before the trialday commences, during a recess, or at the end of the trialday. Counsel are

expected to assist the courtinensuring thatthere is a minimum amount of"down time" for the jury.

Trial hours will be between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with two fifteen minute breaks, unless

otherwise ordered by the court. 

6. MOTIONS

After trial commences, no written motions shall be filed except with leave of court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 14, 2005 ______________________________

PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON

United States District Judge

Case 4:03-cv-04854-PJH Document 145 Filed 07/14/05 Page 3 of 3