District of Columbia Document Format Requirements

Briefs must be indexed, tabbed, double-sided, and in B&W/greyscale.

Source text: Briefs and exhibits shall be indexed and tabbed for ease of reference. Pages should be double-sided and in either black and white or greyscale, unless color would aid the Court’s review (e.g., charts and photographs).

Motions must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman, with 1-inch margins and two spaces between sentences.

Source text: Motions and submissions should be double-spaced, in 12-point, Times New Roman font, with page numbers and margins of no less than 1 inch, and two spaces between sentences.

All electronically filed documents must be in text-searchable PDF format.

Source text: All electronically filed documents are to be in text-searchable Portable Data Format (“PDF”).

All documents must be filed electronically unless Court grants leave for good cause.

Source text: All documents in this case are to be filed electronically, except with prior leave of the Court upon good cause shown, and in the case of the exceptions noted below.

All filings must be text-searchable PDF files converted from word-processing format; scanned exhibits should use OCR when possible.

Source text: All electronically filed documents are to be in Portable Data Format (.pdf). In order to enable the Court’s efficient resolution of all matters in this case, all filings shall be submitted in text-searchable PDF files, directly converted from the word-processing format into PDF format so as to preserve searchability and readability. Exhibits that must be scanned because they exist only in paper format need not be directly converted from a word-processing program, but, if possible, should be submitted as text-searchable files using Optical Character Recognition (“OCR”) technology, available in Adobe Acrobat.

Pro se parties file in paper form; represented parties file electronically and serve pro se parties in paper.

Source text: In a case involving a pro se party, electronic filing procedures will be followed by parties represented by counsel only. Absent separate order of the Court, the party appearing pro se shall continue to file documents in paper form with the Clerk’s Office. Parties represented by counsel must serve documents upon pro se parties in paper form.

Joint Pretrial Statement must be double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, Word format, 1-inch margins.

Source text: The Joint Pretrial Statement shall be double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, in Microsoft Word format, with margins of no less than one (1) inch.

Joint Pretrial Statement must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, Microsoft Word format, with 1-inch margins.

Source text: The Joint Pretrial Statement shall be double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, in Microsoft Word format, with margins of no less than one (1) inch.

Exhibits must be listed in Joint Pretrial Statement to be admitted. Challenged exhibits require submission of two copies in separate three-ring binders at time of filing.

Source text: No exhibit will be admitted at trial unless it is listed on the Joint Pretrial Statement. Each listed exhibit will be presumed authentic and admissible at trial unless a written objection specifying the specific basis of the objection is made in the Joint Pretrial Statement. If there are objections to an exhibit listed in the Joint Pretrial Statement, the exhibit shall be produced at the time the Joint Pretrial Statement is submitted. Two copies of the challenged exhibits shall be submitted to the court in separate three ring

Jury instructions must be formatted with each instruction beginning on a new page.

Source text: the proposed instructions shall be formatted so that each individual instruction begins a new page

All documents must be filed electronically in text-searchable PDF format

Source text: Except as provided for in Local Civil Rule 5.4 1 or with prior leave of Court upon good cause shown, the parties shall file all documents electronically. All electronically filed documents shall be filed in text-searchable Portable Data Format (PDF).

No extensions for jurisdictional deadlines, even with technical difficulties

Source text: However, parties who wait until the last minute to begin filing are warned that technical difficulties do not necessarily constitute 'good cause' or 'excusable neglect' justifying an extension of an applicable deadline. Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(b). Further, no allowance can be made for late filing documents whose time limits are jurisdictional.

Courtesy copies must include ECF headers, be three-hole punched, double-sided, and tabbed

Source text: Courtesy copies should include the headers added by the Case Management/ Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) System and be submitted in binders, three-hole punched, printed double-sided. Briefs and exhibits shall be tabbed and indexed for ease of reference.

All electronic filings must be text-searchable PDF; scanned exhibits should use OCR when possible.

Source text: All electronically filed documents shall be filed in text-searchable Portable Data Format (PDF). Exhibits that must be scanned because they exist only in paper format should, if possible, be submitted as text-searchable files using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, available in Adobe Acrobat.

All documents must be filed electronically in searchable PDF format, with exceptions for sealed cases and pro se parties.

Source text: All documents in this case are to be filed electronically, except with prior leave of the Court upon good cause shown, and in the case of the exceptions noted below. All electronically filed documents are to be in Portable Data Format (.pdf). In order to enable the Court's efficient resolution of all matters in this case, all filings shall be submitted in text searchable PDF files, directly converted from the word-processing format into PDF so as to preserve their searchability and readability. (The Court recognizes an exception for exhibits that must be scanned because they exist only in paper format.).

All court submissions must be double-spaced, use 12-point Times New Roman, and have one-inch margins.

Source text: All submissions to the Court shall be double spaced, and use 12-point Times New Roman font and one inch page margins.

Memoranda of points and authorities at or above ten pages must include both a table of contents and a table of authorities.

Source text: Every memorandum of points and authorities that is ten pages or longer must contain a table of contents and table of authorities, regardless of

The Statement of Material Facts Not in Dispute must be in a two-column table format.

Source text: This document shall be formatted as a two-column table.

Each numbered row in the statement may contain only one undisputed factual assertion.

Source text: The statement must contain only one undisputed factual assertion per numbered row.

After filing, the moving party must promptly provide the opposing party an editable electronic copy of the statement.

Source text: Following the filing of this document with the Court, the moving party shall promptly provide an electronic copy in editable format to the opposing party.

Additional facts must be placed at the end of the responsive statement in consecutively numbered right-column rows.

Source text: If the opposing party has additional facts that are not directly relevant to its response to a specific paragraph, it must identify such facts in consecutively numbered rows in the right hand column at the end of its responsive statement of facts.

After filing, the opposing party must promptly provide the moving party an editable electronic copy of the counter-statement.

Source text: Following the filing of this document with the Court, the opposing party shall promptly provide an electronic copy in editable format to the moving party.

All submissions must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman, with 1-inch margins.

Source text: Format. All submissions to the Court shall be double spaced, and use 12-point Times New Roman font and one inch page margins.

When not using lectern, counsel must use handheld/lapel mic and keep it in place.

Source text: Counsel are not required to question witnesses from the lectern. When counsel do not question witnesses from the lectern, they must use a handheld or lapel microphone. Neither the handheld nor lapel microphone shall ever be removed from the

Counsel must use formal titles for all witnesses, including clients; first names/nicknames prohibited.

Source text: During the interrogation of witnesses, counsel shall refer to all witnesses under interrogation, including their clients, as “Mr.,” “Sir,” “Ms.,” “Mrs.,” or “Ma’am.” The use of first names or nicknames is prohibited.

Voir dire questions must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format by email at least 7 days before trial.

Source text: Proposed voir dire questions must be submitted to the Court at least seven (7) days before the scheduled trial date electronically in Microsoft Word. The parties must send a copy of the proposed voir dire questions by e-mail to the Court.

Page numbers required on bottom of each page.

Source text: Filings shall include a page number on the bottom of each page.

All electronic filings must be clearly titled; exhibits filed separately

Source text: All electronically filed documents and exhibits shall be clearly titled, and exhibits shall be filed as separate documents.

Technical difficulties may excuse late filing, but last-minute filers get no leniency

Source text: The Court may take into consideration technical difficulties experienced by a filer when presented a late filing. However, parties who wait until the last minute to begin filing are warned that technical difficulties do not necessarily constitute 'good cause' or 'excusable neglect' justifying an extension of an applicable deadline.

Uncommon acronyms discouraged; must define on first use if used.

Source text: The parties are highly discouraged from using uncommon acronyms. If uncommon acronyms cannot be avoided, then they shall be defined upon first usage of the acronyms.

Preferred A5 coil-bound; accept 3-ring binders up to 2-inch.

Source text: The Court prefers A5 coil-bound courtesy copies; however, the Court will also accept three-ring binders (no larger than two-inch). See Exhibit A for sample images. Before providing any courtesy copy that would exceed three coil-bound copies or three two-inch binders, counsel shall contact Chambers for instruction.

Paper exhibits should be submitted as text-searchable files using OCR technology when possible.

Source text: exhibits that must be scanned because they exist only in paper format should, if possible, be submitted as text-searchable files using Optical Character Recognition (“OCR”) technology, available in Adobe Acrobat.

Paper exhibits should be OCR-processed for text-searchability

Source text: Exhibits that must be scanned because they exist only in paper format should, if possible, be submitted as text-searchable files using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, available in Adobe Acrobat.

Pro se parties are exempt from electronic filing requirements.

Source text: (ii) In a case involving a pro se party, electronic filing procedures will be followed by parties represented by counsel only. The party appearing

Strongly encouraged to use “the plaintiffs” and “the defendants”.

Source text: The parties are strongly encouraged to reference the parties as “the plaintiffs” and “the defendants,” respectively.