Calendar Control
What simple scheduling practice helps prevent daily case overload?
Limiting the number of cases set for each day
Who can prepare a brief synopsis of each case on your calendar to help you start the day efficiently?
Your court attorney
Which court staff member helps keep orders accurate and ensures nothing is overlooked?
The part clerk
What should judges provide to self-represented litigants to help them understand the process without giving legal advice?
Legal information
What simple daily practice helps judges model reliability and set expectations in their courtroom?
Being on time
What type of adjournments should judges grant to avoid unnecessary buildup on their calendars?
Adjournments for good cause only
What type of document organizes information such as witnesses, exhibits, and case issues, helping you stay on track during trial?
A trial form or checklist
What role can help conference cases and assist in achieving settlement or trial readiness between court dates?
The court attorney
What type of inquiry must a judge conduct to ensure a litigant understands the risks of self-representation?
A searching inquiry
What core judicial skill involves carefully considering substance over style when parties address the court?
Listening well
What should a judge do at the start of a trial day if no settlement has been reached?
Instruct parties to call their first witness
What practice helps judges quickly navigate case information and avoid delays on the record?
Learning to use UCMS effectively
Which colleagues can help you manage overwhelming calendars as part of a “buddy system”?
Fellow judges in your courthouse
What courtroom practice helps judges maintain neutrality when interacting with a self-represented litigant?
Avoiding participation in developing the litigant’s case
What quality should judges be mindful of to ensure their decisions are based solely on the record and law rather than personal impressions?
What strategy helps prevent “calendar churning” and reduces the risk of cases lingering without progress?
Setting specific dates and purposes for each adjournment?
What method helps ensure you’re prepared to rule confidently during hearings by allowing you to revisit specific testimony?
Taking notes with reference to FTR timestamps or counter numbers
Which court personnel help control the flow of your calendar day and maintain safety in the courtroom?
Court officers
What resource helps judges ensure they cover essential topics consistently when addressing unrepresented litigants?
A script, bench card, or checklist
What important reminder helps judges stay focused on the people at the center of family court proceedings?
Remembering the voice of the child
What scheduling approach helps maintain momentum in ongoing trials by ensuring evidence remains fresh?
Setting short adjourn dates between continued hearing days
What organizational step helps prevent double-booking when adjourning cases?
Entering adjournments into both UCMS and your personal calendar system?
What working relationship must a judge develop to ensure calendars run smoothly, orders get processed correctly, and expectations are consistently understood?
A strong, communicative relationship with courtroom staff
What judicial safeguard preserves neutrality when a pro se litigant tries to speak privately about case issues?
Prohibition on ex parte communications
What behavior should judges discourage to prevent challenges to the court’s authority and reduce unnecessary delay?
Theatrics or grandstanding