**Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl** was appointed as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York on May 3, 2021. Before joining the bench, Judge Merkl served as Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law (April 2019–2021). Prior to that she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York for approximately 17 years (October 2002–April 2019), holding supervisory roles including Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Chief of the Civil Rights and Organized Crime and Gangs Sections, and co-founding the Brooklyn Human Trafficking Task Force. She clerked for Chief Judge John M. Walker, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2001–2002) and for Judge Jan E. DuBois of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2000–2001). She currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at NYU School of Law, teaching a Human Trafficking seminar. **Education** - Columbia Law School, J.D., 2000 (Editor-in-Chief, Columbia Human Rights Law Review) - University of Michigan, B.A., with honors, 1996 **Career** - Magistrate Judge, Eastern District of New York, 2021–present - Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, 2019–2021 - Deputy Chief / Chief (Civil Rights / Organized Crime), AUSA, EDNY, 2002–2019 - Law clerk, Chief Judge John M. Walker, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2001–2002 - Law clerk, Hon. Jan E. DuBois, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2000–2001
**Courthouse:** 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201 **Phone:** (718) 613-2560 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: (718) 613-2564
Courtesy copies are required for case dispositive motions. Details: 1 copy, delivery when fully briefed. A single courtesy copy of dispositive motions with marked exhibits should be provided to Chambers.
Yes. A pre-motion letter is required for rule 12, rule 56, venue change, and rule 15 leave. In consent cases (except pro se cases), a pre-motion conference letter is required before Rule 12, Rule 56, venue-change, or pleading-amendment motions.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Each attorney of record is required to file a Notice of Appearance.
The rule requires certificate of conference. The joint discovery-dispute letter must describe the parties' efforts to confer.
Parties may contact Judge Taryn A. Merkl's chambers by phone only as allowed by the rule. If a deposition dispute cannot be resolved, parties must call Chambers immediately with all counsel on the line.
Judge Taryn A. Merkl's rules specify what an adjournment or extension request must include. The request must include adversary position. Extension motions must state whether the request is on consent.
Yes. Judge Taryn A. Merkl requires bundling for covered papers. Motion papers must be held and filed only when the motion is fully briefed.
Parties should use ECF as the primary method of communicating with the Court.
Each attorney of record is required to file a Notice of Appearance.
Extension motions must state whether the request is on consent.
In consent cases (except pro se cases), a pre-motion conference letter is required before Rule 12, Rule 56, venue-change, or pleading-amendment motions.
The moving party must submit a pre-motion conference letter, not docketed as a motion, with a three-page maximum.
Motion papers must be held and filed only when the motion is fully briefed.
A single courtesy copy of dispositive motions with marked exhibits should be provided to Chambers.
Discovery motions under Rules 26-37 require an informal conference request before the motion will be heard.
A joint discovery-dispute letter used to request a conference is limited to five pages.
The joint discovery-dispute letter must describe the parties' efforts to confer.
If a deposition dispute cannot be resolved, parties must call Chambers immediately with all counsel on the line.
Settlement statements must be emailed to Chambers one week before a scheduled settlement conference.
Settlement statements must include the parties' last offer/demand and a frank merits assessment.