Order on Motion to Continue Trial — United States v. Nathan Reardon (D. Me., Dkt. 128)

Summary

Order on Motion to Continue Trial, filed June 30, 2022 as Document 128, Case 1:21-cr-00061-LEW, United States v. Nathan Reardon, District of Maine. It states that Defendant requested a two-month continuance of his trial, slated to begin on July 11, 2022, citing the large volume of material counsel must review, and that the government opposes. It states that Defendant provided no specific explanation of why the materials justify additional time, that over two weeks have elapsed since the government provided additional materials, and that the request contradicts his earlier request to schedule trial for a date certain in July. Defendant's Motion to Continue Trial (ECF No. 126) is DENIED, signed /s/ Lance E. Walker, United States District Judge.

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Case 1:21-cr-00061-LEW Document 128 Filed 06/30/22 Page 1 of 2                 PageID #: 941




                            UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                                  DISTRICT OF MAINE


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,                  )
                                           )
         v.                                )
                                           )
NATHAN REARDON,                            )              No. 1:21-cr-00061-LEW
                                           )
               Defendant.                  )


                    ORDER ON MOTION TO CONTINUE TRIAL

         Defendant, Nathan Reardon, has requested a two-month continuance of his trial,

currently slated to begin on July 11, 2022. Defendant’s chief concern is that he and his

attorney have run out of time to properly prepare for trial in light of the large volume of

material that counsel must review before trial. The government opposes Defendant’s

motion.

         Though a number of factors guide a court’s calculus regarding whether to continue

a trial, the decision ultimately turns on whether “substantial prejudice” will likely result if

the trial proceeds as scheduled. United States v. Delgado-Marrero, 744 F.3d 167, 196 (1st

Cir. 2014) (internal quotations omitted). “Ensuring that counsel possess adequate time to

prepare for trial is a valid reason to continue an action.” United States v. Agosto-Pacheco,

432 F. Supp. 3d 13, 23 (D.P.R. 2019). But a large volume of materials does not itself

necessitate a continuance absent some “specific explanation . . . as to why those particular

materials justif[y] additional time.” United States v. Williams, 630 F.3d 44, 48 (1st Cir.

2010).
Case 1:21-cr-00061-LEW Document 128 Filed 06/30/22 Page 2 of 2                 PageID #: 942




       Here, Defendant has provided no such specific explanation, instead simply

cataloguing the materials at issue in this case. What’s more, over two weeks have elapsed

since the government provided defense counsel with additional materials for trial, which

the government describes as something short of voluminous, providing ample time for

counsel to review the documents and to understand their significance for trial. Defendant’s

request for a continuance is perplexing insofar as it directly contradicts his earlier request—

filed only four weeks ago—that I schedule his case for trial for a date certain in July. In

any event, I know defense counsel to be a competent attorney and am confident in his

ability to be prepared for trial in July as he requested.

       Defendant’s Motion to Continue Trial (ECF No. 126) is therefore DENIED.

       SO ORDERED.

       Dated this 30th day of June, 2022.

                                             /s/ Lance E. Walker
                                            UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE




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