2023 JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE SIXTH CIRCUIT
September 6 – 8, 2023
Cleveland, Ohio
Hilton Cleveland Downtown Hotel
Hotel reservation and other conference-related information is available on the registration site.
You may register for the Conference here: https://6thcircuit.swoogo.com/2023
Please register for the Conference as soon as possible, but not later than August 18.
Also note the cutoff date to secure overnight accommodations at the Hilton is July 28.
Question may be directed to the Office of the Circuit Executive
via telephone 513-564-7270 or via email at CA06-Conf@ca6.uscourts.gov
In June 2023, the District Court for the Western District of Michigan proposed amendments to the Local Civil Rules and the Local Criminal Rules that affect attempts to obtain motion concurrence. The proposed amendments to Local Criminal Rule 12.4 and Local Civil Rule 7.1(d) add requirements to the efforts to obtain concurrence and add requirements to the certificate to be filed if concurrence is not obtained. For those who practice regularly in the Court, please consider taking a look and providing any input by July 31, 2023. The proposed amendments are here and the process for comment can be found here.
We are pleased to distribute the Summer 2023 issue of Bar & Bench, our chapter’s quarterly newsletter. You can access the Summer 2023 issue HERE.
We hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions or feedback, or are interested in submitting an article, please contact our newsletter editor, Charlie Quigg (cquigg@wnj.com).
The Western District of Michigan Chapter of the FBA is pleased to partner with the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) to present a trial skills program, which will take place in the Grand Rapids Federal Courthouse on June 21, 2023, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. The event will feature Chief Judge Hala Jarbou, Judge Paul Maloney, Magistrate Judge Phil Green, and Magistrate Judge Sally Berens, along with ACTL and FBA trial lawyers who will provide tips, insights and demonstrations of four trial components; opening, direct exam, cross exam and closing. There is no preparation required for registrants who are invited to come for the day to learn from the judges and the trial pros.
6/19/23 UPDATE – This program is now full and registration is closed. Thanks for your interest!
We are pleased to distribute the Spring 2023 issue of Bar & Bench, our chapter’s quarterly newsletter. You can access the Spring 2023 issue HERE.
We hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions or feedback, or are interested in submitting an article, please contact our newsletter editor, Charlie Quigg (cquigg@wnj.com).
The Western District of Michigan’s (WDMI) Pro se Prisoner Civil Rights Early Mediation Program (PEM) provides early mediation conferences to assist the parties in settling pro se prisoner civil rights cases, brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, without the need for further court action. The WDMI is currently using its Voluntary Facilitative Mediation (VFM) panel mediators, as well as additional mediators selected and trained to handle mediations in prisoner civil rights cases. The program has been very successful, resolving more than 50% of the cases that have gone to mediation. The Court is in need of additional trained mediators to maximize the benefits of the PEM. Accordingly, the Court has asked the FBA’s assistance in identifying and training additional PEM mediators. These additional mediators would be used solely for the Prisoner Early Mediation Program.
PEM mediations are conducted in half-day sessions by zoom on Wednesdays and Fridays. Mediators are free to conduct the mediation from the location of their choice. Through the use of “virtual rooms,” the mediator meets jointly with all parties and/or separately and confidentially with each party and counsel to discuss the issues, with the goal of achieving settlement. As in other mediations, the documents exchanged between the parties and their discussions and negotiations during the mediation conference are strictly confidential. The parties to the litigation are required to make a good faith effort to settle the case based on a fair and reasonable view of the facts and the law.
Our FBA Chapter has a long history of stepping up when the Court needs assistance. Please consider whether, as part of your pro bono commitment, you would be willing to serve the Court and litigants through this important program. If so, please complete the application and return it by April 21, 2023.
We are pleased to distribute the Winter 2023 issue of Bar & Bench, our chapter’s quarterly newsletter. This year, we’ve decided to move to a PDF newsletter rather than the email format we’ve used the past couple of years. You can access the Winter 2023 issue HERE.
We hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions or feedback, or are interested in submitting an article, please contact our newsletter editor, Charlie Quigg (cquigg@wnj.com).
The Hillman Advocacy Program is returning for its forty-first year in 2023. It will take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from January 18 through 20, 2023. For background information on Hillman, please visit its website at http://hillmanadvocacy.com.
Click here to access an electronic application form payable via PayPal. If you prefer to pay via a paper check, please submit the paper application, which is available here.
Applications are due by December 30, 2022.
We are pleased to distribute the Fall 2022 issue of Bar & Bench, our chapter’s quarterly newsletter. This year, we’ve decided to move to a PDF newsletter rather than the email format we’ve used the past couple of years. You can access the Fall 2022 issue HERE.
We hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions or feedback, or are interested in submitting an article, please contact our newsletter editor, Charlie Quigg (cquigg@wnj.com).
We are pleased to distribute the Spring 2022 issue of Bar & Bench, our chapter’s quarterly newsletter. This year, we’ve decided to move to a PDF newsletter rather than the email format we’ve used the past couple of years. You can access the Spring 2022 issue here.
The Spring 2022 issue contains a number of exciting updates and news:
• A reminder regarding the cybersecurity risks all of us face.
• A review of our event with Opera Grand Rapids regarding Stinney: An American Execution, an opera that premiered in Grand Rapids regarding the tragic 1944 execution of a 14-year-old boy following a one-day trial and ten-minute jury deliberation.
• Judge Beckering’s remarks from her formal investiture ceremony held on June 3.
• A welcome to Mark Totten, the new U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
• A recap of the Women’s Suit Swap held by the Young Lawyers Section in March.
• Our regular roundups of recent district court and appellate decisions.
We hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions or feedback, or are interested in submitting an article, please contact our newsletter editor, Charlie Quigg (cquigg@wnj.com).
