Over the last few months, there have been several important developments in the District of Delaware. These developments fundamentally change the procedures that litigants should expect in District of Delaware cases. For example:
- A new judge, Hon. Richard Andrews, was sworn in as Delaware's fourth district judge, obviating the need for Pennsylvania and New Jersey district judges to continue assisting with Delaware's caseload.
- The Pennsylvania and New Jersey judges were given the option to have their pending Delaware cases reassigned to Judge Andrews, an offer that many of the out-of-state judges have taken.
- Hon. Christopher Burke began serving as Delaware's second magistrate judge, and it was announced that a third magistrate judge is expected to be approved by spring of 2012.
- The court began a one-year pilot project to evaluate the increased utilization of magistrate judges, including the assignment of a limited percentage of cases directly to Delaware's magistrate judges.