Consent to Proceed Before a Magistrate Judge: Social Security Cases

For cases filed by attorneys, filers will be asked during case opening whether or not they wish to consent to proceed before a magistrate judge if the random assignment falls to a magistrate judge. 

If a case is filed by a pro se litigant and is randomly assigned to a magistrate judge, the Court will docket a notice of initial assignment to magistrate judge and response form, and request that the plaintiff respond if she or he wishes to decline, or opt-out of, consent to proceed before a magistrate judge.

If the filer declines to consent, the case will be randomly reassigned to a district judge.

Consent to Proceed Before a Magistrate Judge: General Civil Cases

If a non-Social Security case is randomly assigned to a magistrate judge, a notice of initial assignment to a magistrate judge and response form will be docketed by the Court requesting a response only if the party wishes to decline, or opt-out of, consent to proceed before a magistrate judge.

If a party declines to consent, the case will be randomly reassigned to a district judge and may be referred back to the magistrate judge who recieved the initial assignment.

Consent to Video Record a Proceeding in a Civil Case Before a District Judge in Seattle (Cameras in Courts)

If a Notice of Request for Video Recording and response form is docketed in a civil case, consent to video recording will be presumed unless a party completes and submits a Party Objection to Request for Video Recording by the deadline for submission.  The form must be emailed to the assigned judge’s courtroom deputy.

A Candid Conversation on the Consent Rule

On June 15, 2018 the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington sponsored a panel discussion with Chief Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida, Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler, and Magistrate Judge James Donohue on the consent rule. A recording of the discussion is available here.