Judge Carol Sandra Moore Wells
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Filings (Motion)
Required
Filings (Brief)
Required
Filings (All filings)
Required
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
Communication
Phone
Chambers
Letter Fax
Chambers
Letter Ecf
Chambers
Chambers
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Interview
Jurors
In Person
Duty Week Proceedings
Review
Pretrial Services
Detailed Drafting Rules
Counsel may correspond with the Court on all matters, but disputes are preferably handled through joint telephone conferences.
Judge Wells permits correspondence from counsel on all matters, but prefers to resolve disputes via joint telephone conference.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Counsel may communicate directly with law clerks on procedural matters.
Judge Wells permits counsel to speak directly with her law clerks on procedural matters.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Law clerks must not be contacted about substantive issues or merits of pending matters.
However, her law clerks should never be contacted regarding substantive matters, including the merits of pending matters.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Joint telephonic conferences are encouraged when counsel cannot appear in person or when urgency exists.
However, when counsel cannot be present, or when time is of the essence, she encourages joint telephonic conferences.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Counsel must coordinate conference timing and call chambers only after all parties are already on the line.
It is the responsibility of counsel to arrange mutually agreeable times for such conferences and to call chambers once counsel for all parties are on the line.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredCall chambers once counsel for all parties are on the line.
When discovery disputes cannot be resolved, counsel should request a telephone conference, but telephone conferences are discouraged in cases with pro se litigants.
If this is not possible, counsel should request a telephone conference by letter or initiate a joint telephone conference call. It should be noted that a telephone conference is not encouraged if pro se are litigants involved.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
After the first hour of deliberations, counsel may leave only if they remain reachable by phone and provide cell numbers to the Deputy Clerk.
Thereafter, counsel will be permitted to leave, provided they are available by phone or remain in close proximity to the courthouse. Cell phone numbers should be provided to her Deputy Clerk.
Phone
Direct to: Clerk
- Advance Notice RequiredCell phone numbers should be provided to the Deputy Clerk, and counsel must remain available by phone during deliberations.
Judge Wells prefers joint telephone conferences over correspondence for dispute resolution.
Judge Wells permits correspondence from counsel on all matters, but prefers to resolve disputes via joint telephone conference.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Law clerks may be contacted for procedural matters only, not substantive issues.
Judge Wells permits counsel to speak directly with her law clerks on procedural matters. However, her law clerks should never be contacted regarding substantive matters, including the merits of pending matters.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Chambers conferences preferred; telephonic conferences allowed when necessary.
Judge Wells prefers to hold conferences in chambers. However, when counsel cannot be present, or when time is of the essence, she encourages joint telephonic conferences. It is the responsibility of counsel to arrange mutually agreeable times for such conferences and to call chambers once counsel for all parties are on the line.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Oral arguments and hearings scheduled by Deputy Clerk based on counsel availability.
Judge Wells does not set aside any special days or times for oral arguments or evidentiary hearings. These matters are scheduled by her Deputy Clerk who will attempt to accommodate counsel’s schedules.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Pretrial/status conferences scheduled promptly upon case referral.
Judge Wells regularly conducts pretrial/status and settlement conferences in cases pending before her. Pretrial/status conferences, where appropriate, are scheduled promptly upon referral of the case to Judge Wells. The standard agenda for such conferences tracks Federal Rules.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Counsel must attempt to resolve disputes before bringing them to court.
Judge Wells expects opposing counsel to attempt to resolve disputes prior to bringing them to her attention, pursuant to Local Rule 26.1(f).
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Joint continuance requests can be made by letter or conference call.
A joint continuance or extension request of the parties may be made by letter or conference call.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Contested continuance requests must be in letter (faxed) or formal motion.
A contested request for a continuance or extension of a court-ordered deadline should be in a letter (faxed to chambers) or requested via formal motion.
Letter Fax
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Oral arguments scheduled if helpful; counsel should request if vital.
Judge Wells will schedule oral arguments on a motion if it appears likely to be helpful to the Court. One or all counsel should request oral argument if they consider it vital to a fair disposition of the issues before the Court.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Permission required to file supplemental briefs after unsuccessful conference.
If a telephone conference does not resolve an issue, Judge Wells may instruct the parties to file briefs. The parties must seek permission to file supplemental briefs.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries
Discovery disputes should be resolved without court intervention; telephone conferences discouraged if pro se litigants involved.
Judge Wells expects the parties to resolve most discovery disputes without court intervention, per Local Rule 26.1(f). If this is not possible, counsel should request a telephone conference by letter or initiate a joint telephone conference call. It should be noted that a telephone conference is not encouraged if pro se are litigants involved.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Settlement conferences conducted upon request, referral, or sua sponte; actively encourages settlement.
Judge Wells conducts settlement conferences upon request of all parties, upon referral from a District Court Judge, or sua sponte. She actively encourages settlement and makes herself available for in-depth settlement discussions in referred cases.
Chambers
Direct to: Chambers
Attorneys must be present or available by telephone unless excused.
present or available by telephone, unless expressly excused by her prior to the conference.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
In-depth settlement negotiations in non-jury cases referred to another Magistrate Judge.
In non-jury cases where the parties have consented to trial before Judge Wells, she will refer in-depth settlement negotiations to another Magistrate Judge.
Chambers
Direct to: Chambers
Trial de novo after arbitration triggers prompt status conference for settlement/trial scheduling.
When a demand for trial de novo is filed after arbitration, Judge Wells promptly schedules a status conference to explore the possibility of settlement and/or schedule a prompt, but mutually convenient trial date.
Chambers
Direct to: Chambers
Trial date assigned after consulting counsel; counsel must advise on discovery and expert report completion timing.
Judge Wells assigns a date certain for trial, after consulting with counsel. Counsel should be prepared during any pretrial conference and/or settlement conference to advise the judge as to when discovery and expert reports are expected to be complete.
Chambers
Direct to: Chambers
Counsel must be present for first hour of jury deliberations, then available by phone.
Judge Wells requires counsel to spend the first hour of jury deliberations in or near the courthouse. Thereafter, counsel will be permitted to leave, provided they are available by phone or remain in close proximity to the courthouse.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Hoursfirst hour of jury deliberations
Cell phone numbers must be provided to Deputy Clerk.
Cell phone numbers should be provided to her Deputy Clerk.
Jurors may be interviewed after civil verdict with restrictions on questioning.
After a civil verdict is taken, Judge Wells will permit jurors to be interviewed should they elect to participate, and with the admonition that counsel not inquire about specific votes.
Interview
Direct to: Jurors
- Specific Languagecounsel not inquire about specific votes
- Status Inquiries
Counsel must attend all duty week proceedings.
Counsel must be present at all duty week proceedings.
In Person
Direct to: Duty Week Proceedings
Parties and counsel prohibited from reviewing pretrial service recommendations.
No party or their counsel may review pretrial service's recommendations regarding detention or release.
Review
Direct to: Pretrial Services
- Status Inquiries