Magistrate Judge Kellie M. Barr

Office & Staff Information

Indianapolis
Chambers: Room 257
Courtroom: 243
Phone: (317) 229-3630
Email: JudgeBarrChambers@insd.uscourts.gov

Courtroom Deputy: Michelle Landrum
Phone: (317) 229-3631
Email: michelle_landrum@insd.uscourts.gov

Judge Tabs

Biography

Kellie M. Barr was appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge on November 1, 2022. She filled the vacancy created by the retirement of Magistrate Judge Debra McVicker Lynch.

Judge Barr is a 2003 graduate of Indiana University – Bloomington, where she received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Speech & Hearing Sciences and a Minor in Spanish. Judge Barr earned her law degree from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. While in law school, she was an Articles Editor for the Indiana Law Journal, Champion of the Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition, and a recipient of the National Order of Barristers honor. She also served as Chief Justice of the Sherman Minton Moot Court Board and as a class representative for the Student Bar Association.

Prior to becoming a Magistrate Judge, Judge Barr served as a law clerk for the Indiana Court of Appeals (2006-2008), as a litigation and appellate associate at a law firm (2008-2010), and as a law clerk to District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (2010-2017). In 2017, she joined the legal team of Indiana's largest healthcare system, where she was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility until her appointment as a U.S. Magistrate Judge.

Judge Barr has completed the Civil Mediation Training Program offered by the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum. She has been an active volunteer in the legal profession and wider community, having previously participated in the Southern District of Indiana’s Recruited Counsel Program, served as a Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, and been an active member on various leadership committees of the Indianapolis Bar Association.

Judge Barr is very involved in civic outreach and has been appointed to the Civic & Education Outreach Committee of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association. Judge Barr was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation in 2021 and is currently a Master Member of the McKinney-Shepard Indianapolis Inn of Court. In 2023, Judge Barr received the Mentorship Award from the Indianapolis Bar Association's Women & the Law Division.

Protective Orders/Sealed Docs.

Protective Orders/Sealed Docs.:

Counsel has sought guidance on the Court’s procedures for issuing protective orders and seeking to file documents under seal. On January 15, 2015, a Uniform Protective Order was approved by the Court.

Uniform Protective Orde r(Updated 4/18/2022)

Experience for Newer Attorneys in Civil Cases

Judge Barr recognizes the growing nationwide trend in which there are fewer oral argument opportunities for counsel in civil cases. This is especially true for newer attorneys who have been practicing for less than seven (7) years ("Newer Attorney(s)"). Judge Barr encourages the participation of Newer Attorneys in proceedings before her, particularly at oral arguments on motions that the Newer Attorney drafted or significantly contributed. To support the continued development of future generations of practitioners through oral argument experience, Judge Barr has adopted the following procedures with regard to all motions in full-consent cases and motions referred to her in non-consent cases:

(1) While a motion is being briefed or promptly thereafter, a party may file a Request for Oral Argument for Newer Attorney ("Request") and alert the Court that, if oral argument is granted, it intends to have a Newer Attorney argue the motion or a significant portion of the motion. The Request shall state whether there is a preference that the oral argument be conducted in person in Indianapolis or via Zoom.

(2) If such a Request is made, the Court will:

(A) Grant the Request and hold oral argument on the motion if it is at all practicable to do so, although the decision whether to hold oral argument is ultimately still within the Court's discretion;

(B) Consider allocating additional time for oral argument beyond what the Court may otherwise have allocated if a Newer Attorney was not arguing the motion; and

(C) Permit more experienced co-counsel of record to provide some assistance to the Newer Attorney who is arguing the motion, but only as appropriate during oral argument.

(3) Expectations:

(A) All attorneys, including Newer Attorneys, will be held to the highest professional standards. Specifically, all attorneys appearing in court are expected to be adequately prepared and thoroughly familiar with the factual record and the applicable law.

(B) The Court recognizes that there may be circumstances in which it is not appropriate for a Newer Attorney to argue a motion. The Court draws no inference from a Party's decision not to have a Newer Attorney argue any particular motion before the Court.

(C) The Court will draw no inference about the importance of a particular motion, the merits of a party's argument regarding the motion, or from a party's decision to have or not have a Newer Attorney argue the motion.

United States District Court

Southern District of Indiana

Tanya Walton Pratt, Chief Judge

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Magistrate Judge Kellie M. Barr

Office & Staff Information

Judge Tabs