**Judge Jamal N. Whitehead** was appointed to the Western District of Washington and sworn in on April 4, 2023. Judge Whitehead is a native of the Seattle area. Before his judicial appointment, he served as a Shareholder at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender in Seattle, where his practice focused on civil cases in state and federal courts, including individual and class action employment law cases. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Seattle and as a Senior Trial Attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. His legal career began as a commercial litigator at Garvey Schubert Barer in Seattle. **Education** - Seattle University School of Law, J.D. - University of Washington, B.A. in Political Science **Career** - Shareholder, Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, Seattle - Assistant United States Attorney, Western District of Washington - Senior Trial Attorney, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - Commercial Litigator, Garvey Schubert Barer, Seattle
**Division:** Seattle **Courthouse:** United States Courthouse, 700 Stewart Street, Suite 16128, Seattle, WA 98101-9906 **Phone:** (206) 370-8700 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: (206) 370-8518 - Case Administrator: (206) 370-8453
Courtesy copies are required for exhibits. Details: 1 copy, delivery five days before trial, by hand delivery. Parties must deliver one physical and one electronic set of trial exhibits to the Courtroom Deputy five days before trial.
Judge Jamal N. Whitehead's formatting rule includes margins top 0.5 inches, bottom 0.5 inches, left 1 inches, right 1 inches. Courtroom opens at 8:15 a.m., counsel ready by 8:30 a.m., trial starts at 9:00 a.m., ends at 4:15 p.m.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Each trial exhibit must be clearly pre-marked before delivery.
The rule requires word version. Microsoft Word version of pretrial order must be emailed to chambers.
Parties may contact Judge Jamal N. Whitehead's chambers by video conferencing only as allowed by the rule. Jury selection will be conducted via Zoom unless parties object with good cause.
Bundling is optional for covered papers before Judge Jamal N. Whitehead. Trial schedule may be shortened on Thursdays due to criminal in-custody hearings.
Proposed orders should be emailed to whiteheadorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.
General inquiries to chambers should be emailed to whiteheadchambers@wawd.uscourts.gov.
Chambers can be reached by phone at (206) 370-8700.
The Courtroom Deputy can be reached by phone at (206) 370-8518.
The CM/ECF Help Desk can be reached by phone at (206) 370-8440 for e-filing technical support.
Parties may email Judge Whitehead's Court Deputy or Chambers with questions, and must copy all counsel of record on any such email.
Parties must deliver one physical and one electronic set of trial exhibits to the Courtroom Deputy five days before trial.
Each trial exhibit must be clearly pre-marked before delivery.
Proposed jury instructions should be identified as Preliminary, In-Trial, or Final.
Parties should agree on one stipulated set of proposed jury instructions unless true uncertainty about binding substantive law prevents agreement.
Exhibits attached to a document or filed together must be separated and identified with slip sheets.
Parties and counsel may share honorifics or pronouns by email to or in person with the Courtroom Deputy, or when appearing in court.
Cellphones allowed in courtroom but must be turned off during court sessions.
Microsoft Word version of pretrial order must be emailed to chambers.
Trial schedule may be shortened on Thursdays due to criminal in-custody hearings.
Courtroom opens at 8:15 a.m., counsel ready by 8:30 a.m., trial starts at 9:00 a.m., ends at 4:15 p.m.
15-minute recesses at 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., lunch recess 12:00-1:30 p.m., counsel available by 1:15 p.m.
Jury will have 7-12 members with no alternates.
Jury selection will be conducted via Zoom unless parties object with good cause.
Voir dire will use successive Zoom panels of 12-15 jurors each.
Court will use yes/no screening questions to identify hardships and conflicts.
Attorney voir dire: 20 minutes initial, 10 minutes follow-up, must avoid repetitive/irrelevant questions.
Each side gets 3 peremptory challenges using alternating strike sheet, starting with plaintiff.
Peremptory challenges cannot be used for discriminatory reasons (Batson v. Kentucky).
Recording proceedings by any means is prohibited and illegal.
Parties should agree on one stipulated set of proposed jury instructions.
Court will follow Ninth Circuit Model or Washington Pattern Jury Instructions.
Judge Whitehead uses specific Ninth Circuit Model Civil Jury Instructions for preliminary instructions.
Original trial exhibits and one copy must be delivered to courtroom deputy 5 days before trial.
Electronic PDF copies of all exhibits with OCR must be sent 7 days before trial.