Dabney J. Carr, partner at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, has been named editor for the firm's newly launched “Rocket Docket” blog on the federal district court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA).
The court earned the “Rocket Docket” moniker in the 1950s after Judge Walter E Hoffman began holding court on Saturdays and holidays, fining lawyers for being late, and eliminating the common practice of continuing trial dates. Since that time, the EDVA has consistently been one of the fastest trial dockets of any federal court in the U.S. Today, the EDVA maintains its reputation for speed by utilizing an active and experienced bench, abbreviated discovery schedules, and an unwillingness to extend pretrial and trial dates. This makes the EDVA a very challenging and high-pressure venue, with many tricks and traps for the unwary. Dabney will be sharing his insights and analysis on practicing in the EDVA on a regular basis.