Order Referring Case to Magistrate Judge for Recommendations

US Federal Courts · Civil

Verified current as of September 16, 2026

This form is used when a federal judge wants to send part of a case to a magistrate judge (a lower-level judge) to handle certain tasks or make recommendations, such as ruling on simple disputes or gathering facts. A federal judge or the parties involved in a federal court case would use this form when they need the magistrate judge's help to move the case forward more efficiently.