Troutman Pepper Launches “Rocket Docket” Blog on the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA)

RICHMOND, VA, June 13 – Troutman Pepper today launched “Rocket Docket” Blog, providing readers with comprehensive analysis and insights on the federal court district for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA). The court earned the “Rocket Docket” moniker in the 1950s after Judge Walter E Hoffman began holding court on Saturdays and holidays, fining lawyers for being late, and eliminating the common practice of continuing trial dates. Since that time, the EDVA has consistently been one of the fastest trial dockets of any federal court in the U.S. Today, the EDVA maintains its reputation for speed by utilizing an active and experienced bench, abbreviated discovery schedules, and an unwillingness to extend pretrial and trial dates. This makes the EDVA a very challenging and high-pressure venue, with many tricks and traps for the unwary.

The editors of the new blog, Partners Dabney Carr and Robert Angle, and senior Associate Laura Anne “LA” Kuykendall, all clerked for judges of the EDVA and are very experienced litigating in the EDVA. They are very familiar with the EDVA’s rules and practices, written and unwritten, and will be sharing their insights and analysis on practicing in the EDVA on a regular basis.

“We created this new blog not only to share experiences and lessons learned practicing in the EDVA, but also to discuss significant new decisions that may impact EDVA practitioners,” said Carr. “The EDVA’s short time to trial, abbreviated discovery schedule, and other unique practices creates a very challenging legal arena. We believe our blog will provide practical advice and a valuable resource for lawyers practicing in the EDVA.”

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Troutman Pepper is a national law firm with more than 1,200 attorneys strategically located in 23 U.S. cities. The firm’s litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices advise a diverse client base, from startups to multinational enterprises. The firm provides sophisticated legal solutions to clients’ most pressing business challenges, with depth across industry sectors, including energy, financial services, health sciences, insurance, and private equity, among others. Learn more at troutman.com.