Judge Cynthia M. Rufe

The Response may not exceed 25 pages.

Judge Rufe permits communications with Chambers by telephone, email, or facsimile regarding scheduling and other non-substantive matters. All other issues must be addressed by an appropriate motion or other document filed on the docket. Under no circumstances may any party or counsel communicate ex parte with any Chambers personnel concerning substantive matters. Law clerks may not render advice to counsel and have no authority to grant continuances or any other relief.

Under the alternative method, Motions for Summary Judgment under Rule 56 shall not exceed five double-spaced pages. For the purposes of such a Motion only, Local Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1(c) does not apply to require the submission of a memorandum of law in support of the initial Motion. Rather, the Motion shall be made in outline form, identifying the issues which form the basis of the party’s request for relief. The non-moving party’s Response memorandum shall not exceed 25 double-spaced pages. Likewise, the moving party’s Reply memorandum shall not exceed 25 double-spaced pages. Any Sur-Reply memoranda shall not exceed 10 double-spaced pages. The parties need not seek leave of Court to file the Reply and Sur-Reply.

Under the traditional method, a moving party’s Memorandum of Law in support of its Motion for Summary Judgment shall not exceed 25 double-spaced pages. The Response shall not exceed twenty-five double-spaced pages. Any Reply or Sur-Reply shall not exceed 10 pages, and may be filed without leave of Court.

For all other motions, Judge Rufe follows the requirements of Local Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1. Memoranda in support of such motions and responses shall not exceed 15 double-spaced pages. Reply and Sur-Reply memoranda may be filed without leave of Court and shall not exceed 10 double-spaced pages.

All pretrial motions must be filed no later than thirty days in advance of the scheduled trial date, and except in rare circumstances, will be heard on a date before the scheduled trial date. In multi-defendant proceedings, all motions will be heard jointly. Defendants may not join in co-defendants’ pretrial motions without leave of the Court. Counsel are advised to provide Judge Rufe with supporting memoranda as soon as possible and no later than the date of the hearing. Such supporting memoranda shall not exceed 25 double-spaced pages.

All post-trial motions must be filed in accordance with the Federal and Local Rules of Criminal Procedure. Supporting memoranda for such motions and response memoranda shall not exceed 25 double-spaced pages. Reply and Sur-Reply memoranda may be filed only with leave of Court and shall not exceed 10 double-spaced pages.

On or before [date], the parties, through counsel, shall jointly report to the Court, in writing, as to whether they wish to have a settlement conference before a magistrate judge, attempt mediation under Local Civil Rule 53.3 (a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment A), or pursue some other form of alternative dispute resolution, for assistance in resolving the case and, if so, indicate by what date they will be prepared to commence such proceedings. This joint report should be submitted to Chambers by fax (to (267) 299-5077) or email (to (Chambers_of_Judge_Cynthia_M_Rufe@paed.uscourts.gov) and not filed of record.

The initial filing by the moving party generally should not exceed five double-spaced, type-written pages, excluding the Statement of Stipulated Material Facts.

The Reply must specify the relevant exhibit, page, and line numbers when referring to the record. The Reply may not exceed 25 pages.

The Sur-reply must specify the relevant exhibit, page, and line numbers when referring to the record. The Sur-reply may not exceed 10 pages.