A. Reassignments and Assignment of Cases by the Chief Judge
The chief judge may reassign cases or proceedings from and to any judge, and may decline to reassign related cases or proceedings under Rule 312, in order to adjust case loads or otherwise to promote efficient judicial administration.
B. Limited Reassignments for Purposes of Coordinated Pretrials in Complex Cases
Two or more judges may determine that it would be efficient to hold coordinated pretrial proceedings in a group of matters that are not related within the meaning of Rule 312. Where such a determination is made, those judges will designate one or more of themselves to conduct the pretrial proceedings. The matters shall remain on the calendars of the judges to whom they were assigned.
Whenever a matter is transferred to the chief judge for reassignment following a recusal, the chief judge shall direct the clerk to reassign the matter by lot to a judge other than the judge who entered the recusal or a prior recusal in the matter.
D. Temporary Incapacity of a Judge
The chief judge may reassign matters from any judge who, due to temporary incapacity, is unable to administer a full calendar. Such transfers may be made only after consultation with the affected judge unless circumstances make such consultation impractical. After recovery of that judge, the chief judge may return all or some of the reassigned matters to the original judge, after consultation with both judges involved and determination whether such return would adversely affect judicial economy.
Committee Note: This rule is modeled after local General Rule 2.30(c)(e)(If)(g)(h) and (i), abbreviated and modified to apply present practice and permit flexibility to deal with case loads, exigencies, and the need for consideration of what should be returned to a judge recovering from disability.