Criminal Trial Setting Order — United States v. Henry J. Schappert (Southern District of Iowa, Document 23)

Summary

This Criminal Trial Setting Order in United States v. Henry J. Schappert, 4:25-cr-00125, from the Southern District of Iowa, says trial will commence on June 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., in Des Moines, Iowa. The deadline for notifying the Court of an intent to plead guilty is May 27, 2026, a plea of guilty must be entered by June 1, 2026, and a final pretrial conference is set for June 26, 2026, at 8:30 AM. Motions in limine, trial briefs and proposed jury instructions are due twenty-one days before trial, and witness lists and exhibit lists fourteen days before trial. The deadline for nontrial-related motions is reset for March 30, 2026, and closing arguments may not exceed sixty minutes per party. The order is dated January 15, 2026.

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“Criminal Trial Setting Order — United States v. Henry J. Schappert (Southern District of Iowa, Document 23).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/court-filing-no-4-25-cr-00125-dkt-23-f5ad88c119/, SHA-256 4115dfb340a70506badffbe98414764714188bb2eec5579abf59ba17560b4d45.

Full text

Case 4:25-cr-00125-RGE-HCA Document 23 Filed 01/15/26 Page 1 of 4

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA
CENTRAL DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,
4:25-cr-00125-RGE-HCA
vs.
CRIMINAL TRIAL SETTING ORDER
HENRY J. SCHAPPERT,

Defendant.

Trial in this matter will commence on June 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States

Courthouse, Des Moines, Iowa. Counsel and Defendant shall appear at 8:30 a.m. each morning

of trial to discuss matters likely to arise that day. Additional instruction will be provided prior to

or at the final pretrial conference. In preparation for trial, the Court states the following:

1. Plea Notification and Entry Deadlines: In order to afford all parties as much notice

and opportunity to be as prepared for trial as possible, Defendant is put on notice that a deadline

for notifying the Court of Defendant's intent to plead guilty is set for May 27, 2026, and a plea of

guilty must be entered by June 1, 2026. The Court will not accept any plea agreement that

dismisses counts or provides for a specific sentence pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(C) after that date.

Additionally, once that date has passed, the Court will not grant the additional one-level decrease

for acceptance of responsibility provided for under USSG §3E1.1(b), barring

exceptional circumstances.

2. Final Pretrial Conference: A Pretrial Conference before the trial judge will be held

on June 26, 2026, at 8:30 AM, at the United States Courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa. Counsel and

Defendant must appear in person. All trial-related motions on file will be addressed at this hearing.
Case 4:25-cr-00125-RGE-HCA Document 23 Filed 01/15/26 Page 2 of 4

3. Submissions to the Court:

a. Motions in Limine: Motions in limine, including motions challenging the admission

of any audio and/or videotape, must be filed on CM/ECF no later than twenty-one days

prior to trial. Upon filing, the custodian of any evidence being challenged shall

immediately deliver a copy of the contested evidence to the Court for review.

Resistances shall be filed within five days after the filing of motions.

b. Trial Briefs: Trial briefs shall be filed on CM/ECF twenty-one days prior to trial.

Trial briefs shall contain a brief recitation of the facts of the case and notify the Court of

all novel, unusual, or complex legal, factual, or procedural issues reasonably anticipated to

arise at trial.

c. Witness List: Witness lists shall be filed on CM/ECF and submitted in Word format

to the trial judge’s judicial assistant and courtroom deputy no later than fourteen days prior

to trial. Each party shall file and submit a list indicating the order in which the party intends

to call witnesses. The parties have an ongoing obligation to update their witness list, in the

event the list changes after initial submission and exchange. In the event a party does not

intend to produce witnesses at trial, in lieu of providing a witness list, such party shall

notify the Court that it does not intend to present witnesses.

d. Exhibit List and Exhibits: Exhibit lists shall be filed on CM/ECF and submitted in

Word format to the trial judge’s judicial assistant and courtroom deputy no later than

fourteen days prior to trial. The parties have an ongoing obligation to update their exhibit

list, in the event the list changes after initial submission and exchange. The parties shall

each provide the Court with a tabbed, three-ring binder containing copies of all of that

party’s exhibits no later than one week before trial. The binder shall be delivered to the

trial judge’s chambers in Des Moines, Iowa. The binder shall include copies of any
2
Case 4:25-cr-00125-RGE-HCA Document 23 Filed 01/15/26 Page 3 of 4

recordings on disc or USB drive. If necessary, photographs or photocopies of contraband

exhibits may be added to the binder the first morning of trial.

e. Proposed Jury Instructions, Verdict Forms, and Interrogatories: The parties shall

file on CM/ECF joint written proposed jury instructions, verdict forms, and/or

interrogatories, and shall email a Word format version to the trial judge’s judicial assistant

and courtroom deputy no later than twenty-one days before trial. Each requested

instruction, verdict form, and/or interrogatory shall be separately numbered, begin on a

separate page, and be double-spaced. Disputed instructions on the same issue shall be

identified, for example, as 5A for the government’s submission and 5B for the defendant’s

submission. At the bottom of each proposed instruction, verdict form, and/or interrogatory,

the parties must indicate the legal authority upon which it is based, such as a model

instruction number, statute, regulation, decision, or other authority. All pattern instructions

must be submitted in full text form with case-specific modifications, such as the name of a

party or witness or alternative language applicable.

f. Nontrial-Related Motions. Deadline for nontrial-related motions, such as motions

to suppress and motions to dismiss, is reset for March 30, 2026.

4. Voir Dire: The Court will first conduct voir dire of the prospective jurors. The Court

will then permit each side a set amount of time for voir dire. Additional instruction will be provided

prior to or at the final pretrial conference.

5. Evidence: The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa uses

Jury Evidence Recording System (JERS), a system that allows evidence admitted during trial to

be viewed electronically in the jury deliberation room upon the conclusion of trial. Each party must

submit all proposed exhibits electronically on a disc or USB drive. The parties should plan to rely

on electronic exhibits throughout trial. To minimize physical contact with witnesses, counsel shall
3
Case 4:25-cr-00125-RGE-HCA Document 23 Filed 01/15/26 Page 4 of 4

place all exhibits to be discussed with a given witness on the witness stand prior to the witness’s

arrival. Alternatively, counsel should use the electronic evidence display system. Requests to

approach witnesses will be denied, unless unforeseen circumstances arise. The jury will be

instructed to utilize the JERS system exclusively while deliberating.

6. Closing Arguments: Closing arguments shall not exceed sixty minutes per party,

inclusive of rebuttal. Time for rebuttal shall not exceed the amount of time used in the initial

closing argument.

7. Subpoenas and/or Writs: Any subpoenas and/or writs must be provided to the

United States Marshal’s Service pursuant to Local Rule 17.

8. Defendant’s Clothing: It is defense counsel’s responsibility to ensure that

Defendant has suitable street clothes to wear at the time of trial. These clothes, whether provided

by family members or defense counsel, shall be delivered to the United States Marshal’s Service

at least one business day prior to trial.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated January 15, 2026.

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