District of New Jersey Local Rules and Judge Filing Requirements
Filing requirements from local rules, individual practices, standing orders, and published court policies for District of New Jersey
Federal court local rules are only the first layer. These filing requirements come from individual judges' practices, standing orders, and policies published by the District of New Jersey. They supplement the district local rules and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Requirements vary significantly between judges in the same district, so always verify the specific rules for your assigned judge.
- Bankruptcy Christine M. Gravelle
Parties must submit a completed Zoom Information Sheet to Chambers for proceedings before the Judge.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Exhibits must be clearly identified for easy location during the hearing.
- Bankruptcy John K. Sherwood
Parties in proceedings before Judge Sherwood must submit a completed Zoom Information Sheet to Chambers.
- Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day
Motions to amend must include black/red-lined proposed amended pleading as exhibit; no leave of court required.
- Judge Esther Salas
Parties must consult Judge Salas's General Pretrial and Trial Procedures before submitting this document.
- Bankruptcy Christine M. Gravelle
Contact Chambers with any questions regarding Zoom proceedings.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Court will provide a contact person with phone or email to report technical issues during trial.
- Bankruptcy John K. Sherwood
Parties may contact a Court-provided phone or email contact for technical issues during trial.
- Judge Esther Salas
Pretrial housekeeping conference scheduled before Judge Salas.
- Judge Georgette Castner
All communications with chambers must be via CM/ECF, not by phone.
- Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day
Most formal motions require prior leave of court, except Rule 12 motions, timely remand motions, and motions to amend.
- Judge Esther Salas
All pre-trial motions including Daubert and in limine motions must be fully briefed and filed 45 days before trial.
- Judge Georgette Castner
Reply letters only if directed by court.
- Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb
Pre-motion letter requirement does not apply to pro se cases or bankruptcy/social security appeals.
- Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn
Formal motions require prior leave from the court, except for Rule 12 motions, timely remand motions, and those expressly permitted.
- Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day
Opposition to pro hac vice admission must be filed within 2 business days via CM/ECF.
- Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb
Adjournment requests must include dates sought, previous requests, reason, and adversary consent status.
- Judge Esther Salas
Oral extension requests must be accompanied by CM/ECF filing
- Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn
Adjournment requests require 2 business days notice, must be in writing via CM/ECF, and must include specific information.
- Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio
Requests for excused absence must be in writing 3 days before conference.
- Bankruptcy Christine M. Gravelle
Exhibits must be submitted as PDFs or hard copies in binders, and clearly identified via PDF file name or binder tab.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Exhibits must be filed in PDF format.
- Bankruptcy John K. Sherwood
Exhibits must be submitted as PDFs (electronic) or binders (hard copy), clearly identified via PDF filename or binder tab.
- Judge Esther Salas
Exhibits must be pre-marked with exhibit stickers
- Judge Georgette Castner
Pleadings, motions, and letters must be in searchable PDF format.
- Bankruptcy Christine M. Gravelle
Confidential exhibits require redacted public filings and unredacted sealed filings; hardcopies must be in sealed marked envelopes, only redacted versions are shared on Zoom, and advanced notice is required for witness testimony on confidential information.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Confidential exhibits require a redacted public version and sealed unredacted version filed with the Court.
- Bankruptcy John K. Sherwood
Confidential exhibits must have redacted versions filed on the public docket and unredacted versions filed under seal; hardcopy confidential exhibits must be in sealed envelopes marked confidential. Counsel must provide advance notice if witnesses will testify about confidential information.
- Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day
Motions to seal require proposed order with findings/conclusions, references to docket entries, and contemporaneous submission of redacted documents.
- Judge Esther Salas
Magistrate Judge handles motions to seal.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Exhibits must be filed 14 calendar days before the hearing.
- Judge Robert Kirsch
Movant and adversaries must meet and confer within 7 days of pre-motion letter filing, with substantive verbal communication; failure to participate may result in sanctions.
- Bankruptcy Michael B. Kaplan
All exhibits must be exchanged in advance of hearing or trial per the Judge's prescribed manner and format.
- Judge Evelyn Padin
Submitting a pre-motion letter tolls the deadline to file the motion until the pre-motion conference or Court decision; additional 7 days if no conference held.
- Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn
Dispositive motions must be filed by a date to be determined.
- Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day
Final pretrial order must be submitted 3 weeks before conference via email with courtesy copy by mail.
- Judge Esther Salas
Three bench books of exhibits must be delivered to the judge for trial.
- Judge Georgette Castner
Courtesy copies to chambers only upon request.
- Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb
One courtesy copy of supporting briefs required; exhibits filed electronically only.
- Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio
Settlement memoranda must be submitted to chambers via email one week before conference.
- Bankruptcy Christine M. Gravelle
Exhibits should be circulated to all attorneys, witnesses, and the Court in advance of hearing or trial.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Exhibits should be circulated to all attorneys, witnesses, and the Court in advance of trial.
- Bankruptcy John K. Sherwood
Exhibits must be circulated to all attorneys, witnesses, and the Court in advance of hearing or trial per a Court-provided deadline.
- Bankruptcy Michael B. Kaplan
Parties must provide participant email addresses with role descriptions, including emails for witnesses, experts, and other participants, to the Court.
- Judge Evelyn Padin
All litigants must receive a contemporaneous copy of all correspondence sent to the Court.
- Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day
Settlement submissions must be submitted 5 business days before conference, max 5 single-spaced pages.
- Judge Esther Salas
Sur-replies require permission, limited to 15 pages, due within 7 days.
- Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn
Opposition to discovery dispute must be filed within 5 days, double-spaced, max 10 pages.
- Judge Robert Kirsch
Pre-motion letters limited to 3 single-spaced pages.
- Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa
Unresolved discovery disputes must be presented by joint letter limited to five pages.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Exhibits must be filed electronically as PDFs 14 calendar days before the hearing.
- Bankruptcy John K. Sherwood
Non-exhibit documents used for impeachment or rebuttal must be emailed to Court staff for screen sharing during Zoom proceedings.
- Judge Robert Kirsch
All parties except pro se must e-file all civil and criminal documents via ECF in text-searchable PDF; only emergent calls to Chambers allowed.
- Bankruptcy Michael B. Kaplan
Exhibits must be filed electronically; hard copies may be required if instructed by the Judge, with parties to contact Chambers for procedures.
- Judge Evelyn Padin
All correspondence with the Court, including continuance/extension requests, must be filed electronically via CM/ECF.
- Judge Esther Salas
Junior lawyers (first 6 years) encouraged to present arguments.
- Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn
Junior associates arguing motions may increase likelihood of oral argument
- Judge Robert Kirsch
Junior attorneys (less than 4 years’ experience) are encouraged to participate, with increased oral argument likelihood, multiple attorneys allowed to argue, and marking required on first page of notices/briefs.
- Judge Christine P. O'Hearn
Junior attorneys (under 5 years) presenting oral argument may increase likelihood of argument being granted.
- Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams
Junior attorneys (under 5 years) may present oral argument with supervisor assistance.
- Bankruptcy Andrew B. Altenburg, Jr.
Bulk exhibit filings are prohibited; exhibits must be filed separately, with one allowed exhibit list containing separately attached exhibits.
- Judge Esther Salas
Out-of-town cases scheduled same as local cases.
- Judge Robert Kirsch
Parties must exchange all briefing for specified motions before filing, serve in sequence, then file all papers simultaneously under separate docket entries, exempting pro se cases.
- Judge Jamel K. Semper
Joint submissions required 3 weeks before trial via USB and docket.
- Judge Evelyn Padin
Parties must refrain from filing summary judgment briefs until all briefing is complete, then file consecutively in order of moving papers, oppositions, replies.