Office of
Administrative Courts

Magistrate Program

The Office of Administrative Courts (OAC) has established a Magistrate Program which provides a variety of pre-trial services, including settlement conferences, pre-trial conferences, mediations, and motions practice. The Program is staffed by judges who hold the designation of ALJ I who support the General Services Unit and the Workers’ Compensation Unit. Magistrates have the authority to facilitate and approve settlements; to mediate; to conduct pre-trial conferences; to issue procedural and interlocutory orders; to award disfigurement benefits; to issue subpoenas; to make evidentiary rulings; to strike requests for hearing; to permit depositions; to rule on motions; to make mental competency determinations; and, to issue initial decisions in child abuse and neglect record review appeals as well as appeals that are dismissed prior to hearing.

Magistrates can sit as merits judges upon designation by the Chief Judge.

Judge Barbara Henk is the Supervising Judge overseeing the Office’s Magistrate Program and may be contacted with questions.