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Campbell wins ABA support for U.S. magistrate judge resolution

Issue March 2012

MBA President Richard P. Campbell addressed the American Bar Association's House of Delegates on Feb. 6 at the ABA mid-year meeting in New Orleans.

Campbell was successful in his bid for the ABA delegates to adopt a resolution that supports the provisions of Title 28, U.S.C. 636 (c).

The provisions grant U.S. magistrate judges the power, by request of either party, to conduct any and all proceedings in a jury or non-jury civil matter in federal court. It also orders the entry of judgments in the case as being consistent with and not violating Article III of the Constitution.

"The resolution addresses an access to justice issue," said Campbell, who said that in the last decade alone, magistrate judges disposed of more than 10,000 civil cases per year under § 636 (c).

The MBA's House of Delegates approved the same resolution on January 19, 2012