The magistrate judge assigned to a criminal case conducts the initial appearance, arraignment, and detention hearings in all criminal cases assigned to this judge and enters a scheduling order containing the deadlines for discovery and pretrial motions and setting the matter for trial before the district judge. The trial is scheduled within the 70-day speedy trial clock. At the time of arraignment, dates for the final pretrial conference and the jury trial are given to counsel. After the arraignment, the Court enters a supplemental order controlling the criminal trial. The order will confirm the jury trial and final pretrial conference dates and times, and lists deadlines for motions in limine, the statement of the case, submission of proposed final jury instructions, verdict forms, witness lists, and proposed voir dire questions.

The Court must schedule several trials each week, with criminal trials taking precedence over civil settings pursuant to the Speedy Trial Act. The judge and his chambers strive to work with counsel to avoid wasted trial preparation, and the Court ordinarily reaches every case on the date scheduled for trial.