Rule 3 - Assignment of Related CasesIn an effort to promote judicial economy, limit the opportunity for "judge-shopping,"and establish a uniform policy for handling related causes of action, the following policies are adopted.
(a) Guardianships and Minor Settlements. When a need arises to open guardianships and/or minor settlements for siblings, step-siblings, and/or half-siblings and the basis for such filings has arisen from the same causation, each case shall be assigned to the Chancellor to whom the first case is assigned. If any minor's settlement arises out of an estate, the minor settlement(s) shall be assigned to the Chancellor to whom the estate matter is assigned. If the minor's settlement is opened for the purpose of receiving an inheritance from two (2) or more estates, then the minor's settlement action will remain with the Chancellor to whom it was assigned upon filing.(b) Reciprocal Causes of Action. When one party initiates a cause of action against another party and the defendant from the first action later files a reciprocal cause of action against the plaintiff from the first action and both actions arise from the same set of facts, the two (2) actions shall be consolidated into the smaller cause number with that Chancellor regardless of to whom the later filed action was assigned.(c) Dismissed Causes of Action. If a party initiates a cause of action which is voluntarily dismissed or dismissed on a Clerk's motion for want of prosecution and later re-files a new cause of action based upon the same or substantially similar causation as the previously dismissed filing, then the new cause of action shall be assigned to the Chancellor to whom the initial cause of action had been assigned.(d)Like Cases. Causes of action that involve substantially similar facts and parties may be consolidated together into one case, with the newest filed easels consolidated into the first case filed.Adopted by order entered 2/18/2009 and approved by the Supreme Court by order entered 4/16/2009; Amended and approved by the Supreme Court by order entered 9/27/2012; Amended and approved by the Supreme Court by order entered 10/10/2019.