Change of Plea/Sentencings on Prelims as follows:

  1. A Change of Plea (COP) and Sentencing on the Preliminary Appearance docket will only be allowed if the hearing is expected to last 20 minutes or less.
  2. Any COPs/Sentencing that requires more than 20 minutes will need to be set as a Special Set or set on the Criminal Motion Docket and are subject to the requirements outlined by the respective processes.
  3. Requests to specially set a change of plea/sentencing (20 minutes or less) outside of the prelim docket will not be approved, unless the change of plea/sentencing has to be before a specific judge. 
  4. Conflict judges will only be assigned when a Court Commissioner is scheduled to do prelims.  We will not schedule two judges on the prelim docket.  Please see Today's and Tomorrow’s daily schedule online  to see the scheduled Judicial Officer assignment (these are subject to change). 

[Updated October 24, 2025]

Page updated on 10/14/2024 to include: 

Per Local Criminal Rule 4.12:  As necessary, to expedite the business of the court and in order to ensure the best use of judicial and court resources, criminal matters may be noted on a shortened-time basis on the daily preliminary docket, provided the note for motion docket cites to this rule.