Judge Allen Sharp 124 Federal Building 204 S. Main Street South Bend, IN 46601 (574) 246-8170 Case Management           Scott Jackson       (574) 246-8171 Court Reporters           Joanne Hoffman       Loretta Spromberg       (574) 246-8038 Judge Allen Sharp 220 Federal Building 230 N. Fourth Street Lafayette, IN 47901 (765) 420-6260 Case Management           Cannie Inman       (765) 420-6250 Court Reporters           Joanne Hoffman       Loretta Spromberg       (574) 246-8038 Jury Trial Procedures - Criminal Judge Sharp's approach to the task of a federal district trial judge is very much hands-on. In criminal jury trials before Judge Sharp, counsel will make their opening statements immediately following voir dire. Trial dates are firm and motions to reset trial dates are discouraged. If it is necessary to file such a motion, it should be made at the earliest possible date. Side bars during trial are strongly discouraged. Matters in dispute will be taken up outside the jury's presence. Counsel do not need to ask permission to approach the witness. When speaking in open court counsel must utilize the podium whenever possible. When giving opening statements and closing arguments, counsel should refrain from invading the space of the jurors; counsel will not touch the wall between the jurors and counsel. Judge Sharp's courtroom in South Bend is fully equipped with state of the art technology. To make the trial run more efficiently and to enhance the presentation of the case to the jury, use of the courtroom technology is strongly encouraged by the Court. For example, it is unnecessary to approach a witness to show him a document. The courtroom's Elmo system can be used instead. Training for use of the technology is available by contacting Scott Jackson, the courtroom deputy at (574) 246-8171. There is no courtroom technology in the Lafayette courtroom. All exhibits are to be marked and numbered (or lettered) before trial and copies are to be furnished to opposing counsel and the Court with an exhibit list. Plaintiff's should use numbers; defendants should use letters. If it is anticipated that more than 26 defendant exhibits are required, the number sequence could be D-1, D-2, etc, to avoid the AAAA through DDDD method. Judge Sharp has presided over criminal and civil jury trials in all of the four locations in the Northern District of Indiana, namely, Hammond, Lafayette, South Bend and Fort Wayne, as well as Indianapolis, Indiana, Springfield, Illinois, and Chicago, Illinois. He has also sat by designation on the United States Court of Appeals in Chicago, Illinois, Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, Louisiana.

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