Judge Patrick C Edwards
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Petition
Court-wide- 1 copy • Upon Filing
Adjournments
- The trial date is final, and continuances will not be granted unless extraordinary circumstances exist.
- Parties must immediately notify the court if circumstances substantially alter the feasibility of scheduled dates; failure to follow the dates without prompt notice will not support a continuance and may lead to sanctions.
- All trials are specially set, and continuance requests must comply with local and Supreme Court rules.
Request must include
Communication
Phone
Court-widePhone
Court-widePhone
Court-wideDocument Format Requirements6 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Jury instructions submitted by the State must be in Word format, double-spaced, and set in a 14-point font.
On the morning of trial, the State shall email the division law clerk with copies of marked and unmarked jury instructions; said instructions shall be in Word format, double-spaced with a 14 point font.
DOCX
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The defense's converse and lesser-included instructions must be in Word format, double-spaced, and set in a 14-point font.
On or before the second business day of trial, the defense shall provide the Court with copies of marked and unmarked converse and lesser included instructions; said instructions shall be emailed to the division law clerk in Word format, double-spaced and with a 14 point font.
DOCX
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
On the morning of trial, plaintiffs must provide the Court with marked and unmarked hard copies of jury instructions, double-spaced in 14-point font, and email a Word document to the law clerk.
On the morning of trial, plaintiff(s) shall provide the Court with hard copies of the marked and unmarked jury instructions; said instructions shall be doubled- spaced and in 14 point font and also emailed to the law clerk in a Word document.
DOCX
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Deposition excerpts intended for use at trial must be provided as highlighted hard copies with marked objections and stated objections by the Thursday before trial.
Hard copies of depositions to be read or viewed in trial shall be provided to the Court, no later than the Thursday before trial and shall be highlighted showing what portions will be read or viewed, along with marked designations of any objections to those portions and the stated objection.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The parties must provide hard copies of witness and exhibit lists to the Court, court reporter, and law clerk using the format on the Division 4 web page.
The parties shall provide the Court, court reporter, and law clerk with hard copies of witness and exhibit lists in the format listed on the Division 4 web page for the 16th Judicial Circuit (See, “Forms” section).
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
The parties must mark exhibits in numerical order.
The parties shall mark exhibits in numerical order (e.g. Plaintiff’s 1-50; Defendant’s 51-100).
Document Filing Requirements6 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
All parties must provide the court and court reporter with a witness and exhibit list in the website-provided format on the day of trial.
All parties shall provide the Court and court reporter with a witness and exhibit list in the format provided on the this website on the day of trial.
Document Type
Witness And Exhibit List
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
All parties must provide the court and court reporter with a witness and exhibit list in the website-provided format on the trial day and must contact the court reporter before trial to discuss exhibit numbering.
All parties shall provide the Court and court reporter with a witness and exhibit list in the format provided on the this website on the day of trial. The parties shall contact the court reporter before trial to discuss numbering the exhibits (See, “Forms” section).
Document Type
Trial Witness And Exhibit List
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Proposed jury instructions must include MAI citations and be emailed to the Division Law Clerk two weeks before trial; this deadline requires court approval to change.
All proposed jury instructions (with MAI citations) must be emailed to the Division Law Clerk two (2) weeks before the trial date. This deadline for proposed jury instructions may not be changed without approval of the Court.
Document Type
Proposed Jury Instructions
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The parties must provide the court reporter with two copies of witness and exhibit lists using the format specified on the Division 4 web page.
The parties shall provide the court reporter with two copies of witness and exhibit lists in the format listed on the Division 4 web page for the 16th Judicial Circuit (See, “Forms” section).
Document Type
Exhibit List
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
On the morning of trial, the State must email marked and unmarked jury instructions to the division law clerk in double-spaced Word format using a 14-point font.
On the morning of trial, the State shall email the division law clerk with copies of marked and unmarked jury instructions; said instructions shall be in Word format, double-spaced with a 14 point font.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
By the second business day of trial, the defense must provide the court and email the division law clerk marked and unmarked converse and lesser-included instructions in double-spaced Word format using a 14-point font.
On or before the second business day of trial, the defense shall provide the Court with copies of marked and unmarked converse and lesser included instructions; said instructions shall be emailed to the division law clerk in Word format, double-spaced and with a 14 point font.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Proposed judgments and orders must be emailed to the division judicial administrative assistant or law clerk after trial and no later than five days from the trial date.
Proposed judgments and/or orders shall be emailed to the division judicial administrative assistant/law clerk after trial but no later than 5 days from the trial date.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | TRIAL
Dispositive motions must be filed at least 120 days before trial; later motions will be taken with the case unless the court orders otherwise, and an unripe summary-judgment motion cannot support a continuance.
All dispositive motions, especially motions for summary judgment, must be filed no less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the trial date. Any dispositive motions less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to trial will be taken with the case, unless the Court rules otherwise. Motions for summary judgment that are not ripe before the trial date shall not serve as a basis for continuance.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | SCHEDULING ORDER
Motions in limine and other pretrial motions must be filed two weeks before trial, and the motions-in-limine deadline requires court approval to change.
All Motions in Limine or other pretrial motions must be filed two (2) weeks before the trial date. This deadline for Motions in Limine may not be changed without approval of the Court.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | SCHEDULING ORDER
The defense's converse and lesser-included instructions must be submitted by the second business day of trial.
On or before the second business day of trial, the defense shall provide the Court with copies of marked and unmarked converse and lesser included instructions; said instructions shall be emailed to the division law clerk in Word format, double-spaced and with a 14 point font.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | TRIAL
Motions in limine must be emailed no later than the Thursday preceding trial.
Motions in limine shall be emailed no later than the Thursday before trial.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | TRIAL
All pretrial motions must be emailed to the division law clerk no later than the Thursday before trial.
All pretrial motions shall be emailed to the division law clerk no later than the Thursday before trial.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — TRIAL
Plaintiffs must provide the marked and unmarked jury instructions on the morning of trial.
On the morning of trial, plaintiff(s) shall provide the Court with hard copies of the marked and unmarked jury instructions; said instructions shall be doubled- spaced and in 14 point font and also emailed to the law clerk in a Word document.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — TRIAL
Deposition excerpts intended for use at trial must be provided to the Court no later than the Thursday before trial.
Hard copies of depositions to be read or viewed in trial shall be provided to the Court, no later than the Thursday before trial and shall be highlighted showing what portions will be read or viewed, along with marked designations of any objections to those portions and the stated objection.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — TRIAL
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
The trial date is final, and continuances will not be granted unless extraordinary circumstances exist.
This trial date is considered final, therefore no continuances will be granted absent extraordinary circumstances.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | SCHEDULING ORDER
Continuance applications must be timely filed, and an out-of-time application without a motion for leave will be denied.
All trial dates are specially set and any application for continuances shall be timely filed. Those filed out of time without a motion for leave to file out of time will be denied.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | PRETRIAL CONFERENCE
All trials are specially set, and continuance requests must comply with local and Supreme Court rules.
All trials are specially set and any requests for continuance shall be in compliance with local and Supreme Court rules.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — CASE MANAGEMENT
Parties must immediately notify the court if circumstances substantially alter the feasibility of scheduled dates; failure to follow the dates without prompt notice will not support a continuance and may lead to sanctions.
Should circumstances arise that substantially alter the feasibility of the dates set forth in the Scheduling Order the parties should immediately contact the Court. The failure of the parties to follow the dates set forth in the Order without prompt notice to the Court shall not serve as a basis for a continuance and in appropriate cases may serve as a reason for the Court to consider sanctions.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases
Page 1 | SCHEDULING ORDER
Chambers Communication Rules
The parties must contact the law clerk during the week before trial to discuss exhibit numbering.
The parties shall contact the law clerk the week before trial to discuss numbering exhibits.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — TRIAL
The division should be contacted to arrange a time to set up or test courtroom audio-video equipment.
Please contact the division to arrange a time to set up and/or test audio-video equipment in the courtroom.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — TRIAL
Pretrial conferences are permitted before trial if the division is contacted.
Pretrial conferences may be set prior to trial by contacting the division.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | CIVIL CASES — TRIAL