Opinion ID: 574322
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Neutrality or Impartiality of the Magistrate

Text: 73 David and Reuben Sturman also object to Magistrate Holdener presiding over the depositions asserting that he was not neutral because of his role in the prosecutions. Holdener himself overruled the objection. Neither Rule 15 nor Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 28(b) address the issue of neutral or impartial magistrates. Instead, these rules accept the necessity of foreign officials presiding over foreign depositions. If the law of Switzerland permits a person to serve as both magistrate and prosecuting attorney, then that practice must be permissible in obtaining depositions for United States litigation provided that the criteria in Salim are met. The defendants have failed to establish evidence that Magistrate Holdener's handling of the deposition unfairly prejudiced the defendants or that the testimony could be considered unreliable. The defendants were provided sufficient opportunity to ask questions designed to refute the credibility of the witnesses. The admission into evidence of the depositions did not violate any constitutional rights of the defendants and did not constitute unfair prejudice.