Court Rules
district Judge
Verified Current9 days ago

Judge John M. Gallagher

Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Limits & Logistics

Document Limits

Opening Brief
20 pgs
Reply
10 pgs
Motion To Compel
5 pgs
Discovery Dispute Response
5 pgs

Courtesy Copies

Filings

Not Required

Filings (Exhibit Binder)

Required

Adjournments

Notice Required
0Calendar Days

Must Include

  • 1
    Reason For Request
  • 2
    Adversary Position
  • 3
    Proposed New Dates

Must Include

  • 1
    Length Of Time Requested
  • 2
    Opposition Status
  • 3
    Reason For Request
  • 4
    Speedy Trial Waiver Form
Notice Required
14Calendar Days

Communication

Email

Chambers

Chambers_of_Judge_John_Gallagher@paed.uscourts.gov
Advance Notice Required
No Hours, Status Inquiries
Email

Chambers

Not specified
Advance Notice Required
No Hours, Status Inquiries
Email

Chambers

SchedulingTechnical Issues
Advance Notice Required
No Status Inquiries, Hours
Phone

Chambers

Scheduling
No Status Inquiries
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantFormattingCommunicationElectronicsDiscoveryConferencesMemorandaTypographyExhibits

Detailed Drafting Rules

Communication ProtocolNote

Chambers email address for Judge Gallagher

Chambers_of_Judge_John_Gallagher@paed.uscourts.gov

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    Not specified
Prohibited
  • Hours
    Not specified
  • Status Inquiries
Page 1
|SecGENERAL MATTERS
Communication ProtocolNote

Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Carlos assigned to Judge Gallagher

Magistrate Judge Assignment: Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Carlos

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    Not specified
Prohibited
  • Hours
    Not specified
  • Status Inquiries
Page 1
|SecGENERAL MATTERS
Communication ProtocolNote

Correspondence with court allowed by letter, email, or phone for routine matters; must copy opposing parties.

Counsel or pro se parties may correspond with the Court by letter, email or telephone concerning routine scheduling and administrative matters. The Court expects counsel and pro se parties to copy opposing counsel or pro se parties on their written communications with the Court. All communications with the Court should be directed to the deputy clerk or chambers.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 5
|SecI. GENERAL MATTERS A. Communication with the Court
Communication ProtocolNote

Counsel must keep contact information current with clerk and deputy clerk.

Counsel should submit current telephone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses and any changes to the Clerk’s Office and Judge Gallagher’s deputy clerk.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 5
|SecI. GENERAL MATTERS A. Communication with the Court
Communication ProtocolImportant

Counsel prohibited from contacting law clerks unless instructed; clerks cannot grant continuances or give advice.

Counsel should not communicate with the law clerks unless directly contacted by a law clerk or instructed by the Court to do so. Law clerks may not render advice to counsel and have no authority to grant continuances or to give advice on substantive or procedural matters.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 5
|SecI. GENERAL MATTERS A. Communication with the Court
Communication ProtocolImportant

Telephone conferences may be held for scheduling/discovery; moving party provides details; recording prohibited without approval.

Judge Gallagher may hold telephone conferences to resolve scheduling matters or discovery disputes. The Court will notify counsel of the date and time for the telephone conference. Counsel for the moving party will be responsible for providing telephone conferencing details to all parties and to Judge Gallagher through his deputy clerk. Parties are prohibited from recording any conferences or proceedings without prior written approval of the Court.

Phone

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 5
|SecI. GENERAL MATTERS B. Telephone Conferences
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Attorneys must use ECF and register as ECF Filing Users; pro se parties exempt.

Judge Gallagher requires all attorneys to use Electronic Case Filing (ECF). Attorneys appearing before Judge Gallagher are required to register as ECF Filing Users in accordance with Local Rule of Civil Procedure 5.1.2. Pro se parties are not required to use ECF.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 6
|SecI. GENERAL MATTERS C. E-Filing Guidelines
Format RequirementImportant

Transcripts must be full-sized pages with cover page identifying witness and relevant pages; entire transcript only if relevant.

Deposition testimony and other transcripts shall be submitted to the Court as full-sized pages, not manuscripts. In addition, parties submitting deposition transcripts should provide a cover page identifying the witness and relevant pages from the transcripts. Parties should not submit the entire transcript unless the entire transcript is relevant to the issue before the Court. The Court will request the entire transcript if it deems it necessary.

Applies When:Document Type Set Undefined
Layout & Binding
Margins
Top:1"
Left:1.5"
Right:1"
Bottom:1"
Page 6
|SecI. GENERAL MATTERS C. E-Filing Guidelines
Format RequirementMandatory

Written submissions must use 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, double-spacing, and include TOC for briefs over 10 pages.

All written submissions to the Court must be prepared in 12-point, Times New Roman font, with at least one-inch margins. All footnotes shall appear in 12-point font as well. Motion papers and memoranda of law must be double-spaced. Any briefs longer than ten pages must include a table of contents.

Typography
Font FamilyTimes New Roman
Size12 pt
Line SpacingDouble
Layout & Binding
Margins
Top:1"
Left:1"
Right:1"
Bottom:1"
Page 12
|SecFormatting Requirements
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Opening briefs are limited to 20 pages including TOC and attachments.

Opening briefs filed in support of and in opposition to a motion should be limited to twenty pages. This includes the table of contents and any attachments or addenda.

Page 13
|SecPage Limits and Content of Briefs or Legal Memoranda
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Replies limited to 10 pages, sur-replies to 7 pages.

Replies and sur-replies, where granted, must be limited to ten and seven pages, respectively.

Page 13
|SecPage Limits and Content of Briefs or Legal Memoranda
Format RequirementMandatory

Appendices must be bates stamped with page references.

The parties shall 'bates stamp' their appendices. All references to the appendix made in the motions and responses shall identify the bates number of the referenced page.

Page 15
|SecJudge John M. Gallagher
Document RequirementImportant

Reconsideration motions should be filed sparingly and follow page limits.

Motions for reconsideration should be filed sparingly. Any motion for reconsideration of a discovery order must itself comply with the page limits in Section II.C.1., below.

Document Type

Motion For Reconsideration

Content & Formatting
Follow Page Limits
Page 16
|SecJudge John M. Gallagher
Communication ProtocolNote

Parties urged to resolve discovery disputes themselves; telephone conferences preferred for simple disputes.

The Court urges the parties to settle discovery disputes among themselves. If Court assistance is required, Judge Gallagher prefers that simple disputes be addressed by telephone conferences.

Phone

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Page 16
|SecJudge John M. Gallagher
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Motion to compel for complex disputes limited to 5 pages, no exhibits or brief.

For complex disputes, if the parties remain unable to resolve the dispute after the reasonable efforts required by Local Civil Rule 26.1(f), the Court will consider a motion to compel under Local Civil Rule 26.1(b). Counsel for the aggrieved party shall file with the Court a motion in conformity with Local Civil Rule 26.1(b). The motion shall not exceed five pages and shall not contain exhibits and shall not include a brief or memorandum of law.

Page 16
|SecJudge John M. Gallagher
Page or Word LimitMandatory

Response to discovery disputes limited to 5 pages, no exhibits or legal briefs.

The response should also be limited to five pages and shall not include exhibits or a brief or memorandum of law.

Page 17
|SecJudge John M. Gallagher
Communication ProtocolNote

Trial date set at Rule 16 conference; parties must be ready to start on listed date.

A date for trial will be determined at the initial Rule 16 conference. Once a case is listed for trial, counsel, parties and witnesses should be ready to start trial on the listed date, and counsel should consider themselves formally attached for trial as of that date. Questions relating to scheduling matters should be directed to Judge Gallagher's deputy clerk.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Prohibited
  • Hours
    9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Page 22
|SecScheduling Cases
Communication ProtocolImportant

Parties must contact Courtroom Deputy by final pretrial conference to arrange technology needs.

The Court holds proceedings in Courtroom 4B, which is equipped for electronic presentation of evidence. Parties expecting to employ courtroom technology are required to contact the Courtroom Deputy no later than the final pretrial conference to discuss their technological needs. The Courtroom Deputy will then schedule a preliminary run to minimize disruptions during the trial itself.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Technical Issues
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    final pretrial conference
Page 22
|SecClassroom Technology
Format RequirementMandatory

Proposed jury instructions must be double-spaced, have one-inch margins, and use 12-point Times New Roman font.

Proposed jury instructions must be double-spaced, have one-inch margins and be prepared in 12-point, Times New Roman font.

Applies When:Document Type Set Undefined
Typography
Font FamilyTimes New Roman
Size12 pt
Line SpacingDouble
Layout & Binding
Margins
Top:1"
Left:1"
Right:1"
Bottom:1"
Page 26
|SecProposed Jury Instructions and Verdict Forms
Format RequirementMandatory

Proposed jury instructions must be double-spaced, have one-inch margins, use 12-point Times New Roman font, and citations must be in footnotes/comments, not body.

Proposed jury instructions must be double-spaced, have one-inch margins and be prepared in 12-point, Times New Roman font. Citations to authority should be reflected in footnotes or comments appended to the text and should not appear in the body of the proposed instructions.

Applies When:Document Type Set Undefined
Typography
Font FamilyTimes New Roman
Size12 pt
Line SpacingDouble
Layout & Binding
Margins
Top:1"
Left:1"
Right:1"
Bottom:1"
Page 31
|SecJury Instructions