Preferences for the use of telephonic conferences rather than in-person conferences for any category of conferences scheduled in connection with a case.
With the exception of final pre-trial conferences, Judge Jones will conduct telephone conferences rather than in-person conferences at the request of any party. Judge Jones requires that discovery conferences be conducted via telephone.

Courtesy copies of motions, briefs, and other writings for chambers.
Judge Jones discourages submission of courtesy copies.

Federal Rule 26 and M.D. Pa Local Rule 26.1 et seq. (Including your approach to initial disclosures, discovery prior to the Rule 16 conference) and preferences as to the matters encompassed within those Rules.
Judge Jones generally adheres to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26 and M.D. Pa Local Rule 26.1 with the exception that he generally grants joint requests to exceed the numerical limits on written discovery and length of depositions. He insists upon adherence to the mandatory disclosure requirements and generally discourages discovery prior to the Rule 16 conference.

The extent to which counsel may influence the length of the discovery period, extensions, trial dates, etc.
Counsels’ opinions and requests are elicited at the case management conference and considered in establishing case deadlines. Thereafter, deadlines are expected to be followed unless modified by the court.

The average amount of time allowed for discovery in a standard track case and the extent to which the standard amount of time is varied.
Judge Jones typically allows six to eight months in a standard track case for discovery.

Procedure for scheduling trials, including whether a date certain for trial is assigned; if so, the amount of time prior to trial that such a date certain is assigned; and the extent to which it may be moved during the month in which it has been scheduled.
Judge Jones will place cases on the trial calendar at the case management conference. The judge’s court calendar, which will set all deadlines, will be issued with the case management conference scheduling order. Criminal matters will be tried prior to civil. Civil matters will be tried with oldest matters first .

Trial briefs submitted by counsel.
Judge Jones will request trial briefs in appropriate cases.

Counsel participation in voir dire.
Judge Jones will conduct the majority of voir dire in both civil and criminal cases, and will request that any case specific questions for the jury be submitted by counsel prior to trial. Judge Jones will permit counsel to ask brief follow-up questions when appropriate.

Whether more than one attorney may handle trial for a party.
Judge Jones will allow more than one attorney to participate, but only one attorney may examine a witness.

Pre-marking of documentary and photographic exhibits and other demonstrative evidence for trial and the date upon which exchange of exhibits is to take place, if any.
Judge Jones requires that exhibits be pre-marked and exchanged before the pre-trial conference.

A party offering more that 10 written exhibits must provide the court with two copies of his or her exhibits in three ring binders.

Practice for the receipt of proposed jury instructions, including the form of jury instructions, and the divergence from the number of jury instructions permitted by the Middle District local rules.
Judge Jones requires that counsel follow the local rules.

Written verdict forms ( in the form of interrogatory questions) to the jury.
Judge Jones does submit written verdict slips with interrogatories to juries.

General approach to settlement and non-jury cases and use of magistrate judges.
Settlement conferences will be held in each case in accordance with the judge’s court calendar, which will set all deadlines. The calendar will be issued with the case management conference scheduling order. Where time permits, Judge Jones will schedule extended settlement conferences upon request. Also, Judge Jones encourages the use of the Middle District's mediators and magistrate judges in appropriate cases.

PLEASE NOTE: These Preferences are courtesy of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's Middle District Manual (4^th ed., April 2001). More complete Preferences for each Middle District Judicial Officer are contained in the Middle District Manual. For more information on purchasing the Manual, visit the PBI's home page.

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