**District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama** was appointed to the Northern District of Illinois by President Donald J. Trump in 2020. He is the first Panamanian American to serve as an Article III judge in the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Valderrama was born in Panama City, Panama. After law school, he began his career in 1988 as a staff attorney for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Northern Illinois. In 1989, he joined the Law Office of Tom Leahy as an associate. In 1992, he joined Landau, Omahana & Kopka as an associate. Starting in 1993, he worked at Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman in Chicago, where his practice focused on trial litigation, and he left as a partner. He served as an adjunct professor at UIC John Marshall Law School. He served as an Associate Judge on the Cook Judicial Circuit Court from 2007 to 2020 before his federal appointment. **Education** - DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1988 - University of Illinois at Chicago, B.A., 1985 **Career** - Associate Judge, Cook Judicial Circuit Court (2007–2020) - Partner, Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman, Chicago (1993–2007) - Associate, Landau, Omahana & Kopka (1992–1993) - Associate, Law Office of Tom Leahy (1989–1992) - Staff Attorney, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois (1988–1989)
**Courthouse:** Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604 **Chambers:** Room 1946 **Phone:** (312) 435-5624 **Fax:** (312) 554-8511 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: Jonathan Martinez, (312) 818-6579, Room 1938 - Court Reporter: Kristin Ashenhurst, (312) 818-6549, Room 1944 - Law Clerks: Allison Jenkins, Soraya Todd, Sarah Crocker
Courtesy copies are required for exhibit charts. Details: 1 copy, delivery upon filing, by email. Microsoft Word version of exhibit chart must be emailed to chambers.
Judge Franklin U. Valderrama's formatting rule includes jers format and naming convention required. Electronic exhibits must use JERS format and naming convention.
The rule requires notice of electronic filing and exhibit list. Joint Pre-Trial Statement due 35 days before Pre-Trial Conference, with Word version emailed to chambers.
The rule requires judge name and case number. Witness lists must be e-filed and emailed to chambers on same date as Joint Pre-Trial Statement.
Bundling is encouraged for covered papers before Judge Franklin U. Valderrama. Multiple motions in limine should be submitted in one document with exhibits.
Electronic exhibits must use JERS format and naming convention.
Final trial exhibits must be on password-free USB drive with OCR.
Final trial exhibits must be double-sided in tabbed three-ring binder.
Each side limited to 15 disputed voir dire questions unless good cause shown.
Joint Pre-Trial Statement due 35 days before Pre-Trial Conference, with Word version emailed to chambers.
Witness lists must be e-filed and emailed to chambers on same date as Joint Pre-Trial Statement.
Witness descriptions limited to 2-3 sentences.
Witnesses not on list are barred unless no prejudice or good cause shown.
Exhibit charts must be e-filed on same date as Joint Pre-Trial Statement.
Microsoft Word version of exhibit chart must be emailed to chambers.
Exhibit charts should follow example format with landscape orientation encouraged.
Parties must exchange exhibit charts 10 business days before deadline; objections due 5 business days before.
Do not over-designate exhibits to avoid wasting Court time.
Objections must be in good faith; frivolous objections waste Court time.
Motions in limine must be e-filed 35 days before Pre-Trial Conference; responses due 21 days; replies due 14 days.
Multiple motions in limine should be submitted in one document with exhibits.
14 days before Pre-Trial Conference, parties must deliver USB key/thumb drive to chambers.
USB key/thumb drive must have no password protection.
Objected exhibits must be double-sided in tabbed three-ring binder.
Impeachment/RR exhibits require separate USB folder with chart, no hard copies.
JERS accepts specific file types for documents, photos, video, and audio.
Exhibits must follow specific naming convention: 3-digit number, underscore, neutral description.
Digital exhibit stickers allowed but limited to party designation and exhibit number.
Physical objects need numbered exhibit designation and one-page PDF stand-in for JERS.
Do not renumber exhibits after Pre-Trial Conference, even if some are deemed inadmissible.
Newly admitted trial exhibits must be supplied on USB drive to Courtroom Deputy.
Government must file exhibit list on docket at close of case-in-chief.
USB drive with admitted exhibits (no password, OCR-text) required for JERS.
Hard copy binder of admitted exhibits required as backup for JERS issues.
Defendant must file exhibit list and provide USB/hard copies after resting.