The magistrate judge assigned to a criminal case conducts the initial appearance, arraignment, and detention hearings in all criminal cases assigned to Judge Van Bokkelen and enters an arraignment/scheduling order containing the deadlines for discovery and pretrial motions. The order also sets dates for the telephonic final pretrial conference and trial before the district judge. The trial is generally scheduled 30 to 60 days from the date of the arraignment.

Judge Van Bokkelen must schedule several trials each week and he and his staff strive to work with counsel to avoid wasted trial preparation. Judge Van Bokkelen ordinarily reaches every case on the date scheduled for trial.