Court Rules
magistrate Judge
Verified Current21 hours ago

Judge Sherry R. Fallon

District of Delaware

Limits & Logistics

Document Limits

Post Trial Motion
20 pgs
Document
3 pgs
Case Dispositive Motion
50 pgs
Case Dispositive Motion
40 pgs
Claim Construction Brief
20 pgs
In Limine Motion
1 pgs
Reply
4 pgs

Courtesy Copies

Filings (Jury Documents)

Required

Filings (Pretrial Order)

Required

Filings (Brief, Appendix, Exhibits, Declarations, Affidavits)

Required

Filings (Letter)

Required

Filings (Jury Instructions, Voir Dire, Special Verdict Forms)

Required

Filings (Brief, Appendix, Exhibit, Declaration, Affidavit)

Required

Filings (Discovery Dispute Letter, Discovery Dispute Opposition Letter)

Required

Filings (All filings)

Required

Filings (Motion, Brief, Appendix)

Required

Adjournments

Notice Required
14Calendar Days

Communication

Verbal

Opposing Counsel

Discovery Issues
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantCommunicationMemorandaSummary JudgmentLettersTypographyConferencesPage LimitsDiscovery

Detailed Drafting Rules

Page or Word LimitMandatory

Post-trial briefs limited to 20 pages (opening/answering) and 10 pages (reply).

Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, all sides are limited to a maximum of 20 pages of opening briefs, 20 pages of answering briefs, and 10 pages of reply briefs relating to any post-trial motions filed by that side, no matter how many such motions are filed.

Page 13
|SecPost-Trial Motions
Page or Word LimitMandatory

In limine requests limited to 3 pages, responses to 3 pages, replies to 1 page

The in limine request and any response shall contain the authorities relied upon; each in limine request may be supported by a maximum of three (3) pages of argument and may be opposed by a maximum of three (3) pages of argument, and the party making the in limine request may add a maximum of one (1) additional page in reply in support of its request.

Page 12
|Sec16. In Limine Requests
Bundling PolicyMandatory

Total briefing limit of 250 pages for all case dispositive and Daubert motions across related cases

The parties must work together to ensure that the Court receives no more than a total of 250 pages (i.e., 50 +50 + 25 regarding one side’s motions, and 50 + 50 + 25 regarding the other side’s motions) of briefing on all case dispositive motions and Daubert motions that are covered by this scheduling order and any other scheduling order entered in any related case that is proceeding on a consolidated or coordinated pretrial schedule.

Filing Strategy

Bundling Policy

Mandatory Bundling

Total briefing limit of 250 pages for all case dispositive and Daubert motions across related cases

Page 10
|SecCase Dispositive Motions
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Daubert motions increase combined page limits to 50 pages opening, 50 pages answering, 25 pages reply per side

In the event that a party files, in addition to a case dispositive motion, a Daubert motion to exclude or preclude all or any portion of an expert’s testimony, the total amount of pages permitted for all case dispositive and Daubert motions shall be increased to 50 pages for all opening briefs, 50 pages for all answering briefs, and 25 pages for all reply briefs for each SIDE.

Page 10
|SecCase Dispositive Motions
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Combined page limits for case dispositive motions: 40 pages opening, 40 pages answering, 20 pages reply per side

Each party is permitted to file as many case dispositive motions as desired; provided, however, that each SIDE will be limited to a combined total of 40 pages for all opening briefs, a combined total of 40 pages for all answering briefs, and a combined total of 20 pages for all reply briefs regardless of the number of case dispositive motions that are filed.

Page 10
|SecCase Dispositive Motions
Document RequirementMandatory

Reply to summary judgment requires response to opposing concise statement (max 4 pages)

The moving party shall include with its reply papers a response to the opposing party’s concise statement of facts, not to exceed four pages, on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis.

Document Type

Reply To Summary Judgment

Content & Formatting
Response To Opposing Concise Statement
Page 10
|SecCase Dispositive Motions
Document RequirementMandatory

Opposition to summary judgment requires response to concise statement (max 6 pages)

Any party opposing the motion shall include with its opposing papers a response to the moving party’s concise statement, not to exceed six pages, which admits or disputes the facts set forth in the moving party’s concise statement on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis. To the extent a fact is disputed, the basis of the dispute shall be supported by specific citation(s) to the record. Failure to respond to a fact presented in the moving party’s concise statement of facts shall indicate that fact is not in dispute for purposes of summary judgment.

Document Type

Opposition To Summary Judgment

Content & Formatting
Response To Concise Statement
Page 9
|SecCase Dispositive Motions
Document RequirementMandatory

Summary judgment motions require a concise statement of facts (max 6 pages)

Any motion for summary judgment shall be accompanied by a separate concise statement, not to exceed six pages, which details each material fact that the moving party contends is essential for the Court’s resolution of the summary judgment motion (not the entire case) and as to which the moving party contends there is no genuine issue to be tried. Each fact shall be set forth in a separate numbered paragraph and shall be supported by specific citation(s) to the record.

Document Type

Motion For Summary Judgment

Content & Formatting
Concise Statement Of Facts
Page 9
|SecCase Dispositive Motions
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Claim construction briefing limits: Plaintiff opening 20 pages, Defendant answering 30 pages, Plaintiff reply 10 pages.

The Plaintiff shall serve, but not file, its opening brief, not to exceed 20 pages, on __________. The Defendant shall serve, but not file, its answering brief, not to exceed 30 pages, on ____________. The Plaintiff shall serve, but not file, its reply brief, not to exceed 10 pages, on __________.

Page 7
|SecClaim Construction Briefing
Pre-Motion ProcedureMandatory

Opposition pre-motion letter (max 4 pages, 12pt font) due 48 hours before conference.

On the date set by the Court, generally not less than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the conference, excluding weekends and holidays, any party opposing the application for relief may file a letter, not to exceed four (4) pages, in no less than 12-point font, outlining that party's reason for its opposition.

Pre-Motion Conference

A pre-motion conference is mandatory before filing. You must submit a letter first.

Letter Requirements

Status
Required
Max Length4 pgs
Pre-Motion ProcedureMandatory

Pre-motion letter (max 4 pages, 12pt font) required 72 hours before conference with proposed order.

On the date set by the Court, generally not less than seventy-two (72) hours prior to the conference, excluding weekends and holidays, the party seeking relief shall file with the Court a letter, not to exceed four (4) pages, in no less than 12-point font, outlining the issues in dispute and its position on those issues. This submission shall include a proposed order, attached as an exhibit, setting out the nature of the relief requested.

Pre-Motion Conference

A pre-motion conference is mandatory before filing. You must submit a letter first.

Letter Requirements

Status
Required
Max Length4 pgs
0
Communication ProtocolImportant

Counsel must discuss discovery issues before seeking court intervention

Counsel are expected to verbally discuss the issues/concerns before seeking the Court's intervention.

Verbal

Direct to: Opposing Counsel

Approved Topics
Discovery Issues
Page 4
|Seck. Discovery Matters and Disputes Relating to Protective Orders
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Daubert motions subject to dispositive motion page limits

Briefing on such motions is subject to the page limits set out in connection with briefing of case dispositive motions.

Page 3
|Seci. Objections to Expert Testimony
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Each party limited to 3 in limine requests with 3-page support/opposition and 1-page reply.

Each party shall be limited to three (3) in limine requests, unless otherwise permitted by the Court. The in limine request and any response shall contain the authorities relied upon; each in limine request may be supported by a maximum of three (3) pages of argument and may be opposed by a maximum of three (3) pages of argument, and the party making the in limine request may add a maximum of one (1) additional page in reply in support of its request.

Page 8
|SecMotions in Limine
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Reply papers must include a 4-page paragraph-by-paragraph response to opposing party's concise statement of facts.

The moving party shall include with its reply papers a response to the opposing party’s concise statement of facts, not to exceed four pages, on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis.

Page 7
|SecReply Papers Requirement
Document RequirementMandatory

Opposition to summary judgment requires concise statement response (max 6 pages).

Any party opposing the motion shall include with its opposing papers a response to the moving party’s concise statement, not to exceed six pages, which admits or disputes the facts set forth in the moving party’s concise statement on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis.

Document Type

Opposition To Summary Judgment

Content & Formatting
Concise Statement Response
Document RequirementMandatory

Summary judgment motions require concise statement (max 6 pages).

Any motion for summary judgment shall be accompanied by a separate concise statement, not to exceed six pages, which details each material fact that the moving party contends is essential for the Court’s resolution of the summary judgment motion (not the entire case) and as to which the moving party contends there is no genuine issue to be tried.

Document Type

Motion For Summary Judgment

Content & Formatting
Concise Statement
Document RequirementMandatory

Opposition letter (max 4 pages, 12pt font) due 48 hours before conference.

On the date set by the Court, generally not less than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the conference, excluding weekends and holidays, any party opposing the application for relief may file a letter, not to exceed four (4) pages, in no less than 12-point font, outlining that party’s reason for its opposition.

Document Type

Discovery Dispute Opposition Letter

Content & Formatting
Page Count
Word Count
Ai Disclosure
Proposed Order
Certificate Of Service
Local Rule Certificate
Certificate Of Conference
Notice Of Electronic Filing
Exhibit List
Legal Argument
Table Of Contents
Statement Of Facts
Table Of Authorities
Page 3
|SecDiscovery Matters and Disputes Relating to Protective Orders
Document RequirementMandatory

Discovery dispute letter (max 4 pages, 12pt font) due 72 hours before conference.

On the date set by the Court, generally not less than seventy-two (72) hours prior to the conference, excluding weekends and holidays, the party seeking relief shall file with the Court a letter, not to exceed four (4) pages, in no less than 12-point font, outlining the issues in dispute and its position on those issues.

Document Type

Discovery Dispute Letter

Content & Formatting
Page Count
Word Count
Ai Disclosure
Proposed Order
Certificate Of Service
Local Rule Certificate
Certificate Of Conference
Notice Of Electronic Filing
Exhibit List
Legal Argument
Table Of Contents
Statement Of Facts
Table Of Authorities
Page 3
|SecDiscovery Matters and Disputes Relating to Protective Orders