United States District Court
Eastern District of North Carolina

In reference to the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 ("Pact Act"):

The text of the PACT Act may be found here. The Eastern District of North Carolina has been designated as the exclusive jurisdiction and venue for cases filed pursuant to Section 804 of the Act, known as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022. Cases arising under this section should be filed in the correct division as provided in Local Civil Rule 40.1. If a plaintiff does not reside within the Eastern District of North Carolina, the case should be filed in the Southern Division. The Cause of Action should be 804 (Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022) and the Nature of Suit should be 360 (P.I. : Other).

Attorney filer PACT Act case opening tips may be found here.

By law, the clerk's office may not provide legal advice or recommend a particular attorney or law firm.

Standing Order 23-SO-1, concerning electronic service of complaints in cases filed under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act may be found here.

PLEASE NOTE:
September 22, 2022 - The Court is accepting applications for a Full-time U.S. Magistrate Judge in Greenville, NC until 5:00 p.m. on October 24, 2022. Please review the Public Notice for additional details
April 8, 2022 - Public notice regarding reappointment of Incumbent United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II. for the United States District Court Eastern District of North Carolina.

In reference to COVID-19, please see:

courthouses
VISITOR INFORMATION: Mobile devices and weapons are not permitted in the courthouse. Please bring a photo ID.
Authority and Duties of Magistrate Judges

Magistrate judges may be authorized to handle virtually any civil or criminal matter before the court other than presiding at felony trials. Generally speaking, they may handle nondispositive matters in civil and criminal cases by their own order, and dispositive matters by their own order with party consent and district judge approval, or otherwise by memorandum and recommendation to the presiding district judge. In civil cases in this district, magistrate judges routinely handle a full range of pretrial matters, including discovery motions, general pretrial case management, scheduling orders, settlement conferences, dismissal and summary judgment motions, and final pretrial conferences. They handle all proceedings in consent civil actions (including trial and entry of judgment), consent Social Security appeals, and any other consent civil cases, all with the right of appeal to the Fourth Circuit. In felony cases in this district, magistrate judges also routinely handle a broad range of pretrial matters, including review of criminal complaints, issuance of search warrants, grand jury selection, initial appearances, detention hearings, arraignments, scheduling orders, and suppression motion hearings, and such post-trial matters as hearings on habeas corpus motions and international prisoner transfers. In addition, they generally handle all proceedings in misdemeanor cases before them, including trial and sentencing. Magistrate judges participate in court management by, among other means, serving on court committees, and preside at naturalization and other court-related ceremonies. For more information about the magistrate judge position, see 28 U.S.C. ยง 636; Fed. R. Civ. P. 72, 73; Local Civ. Rules 72.1 to 72.4, E.D.N.C.; The Selection, Appointment, and Reappointment of United States Magistrate Judges (Admin. Office of U.S. Cts.); Federal Judicial Center, "Magistrate Judgeships."