Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Filings (>25 pages)
Required • Binding: Three Ring Binder
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Proposed Rescheduled Date
Must Include
- 1Speedy Trial Waiver
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Adversary Position
- 3Proposed New Dates
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Detailed Drafting Rules
Response memoranda limited to 20 double-spaced pages
Response memoranda shall not exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages.
Rule 56 responses are limited to 25 pages.
The response may not exceed twenty-five (25) pages.
Chambers communications must include both email and letter for scheduling/non-substantive matters.
Judge Hodge permits communications with Chambers by telephone, or letter sent via email regarding scheduling and other non-substantive matters. An email request without a letter will not be considered.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Personal email communications to Judge Hodge are prohibited.
Judge Hodge prohibits any communications to her personal email.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Telephone/video conferences allowed for straightforward discovery disputes only.
Counsel may request a telephone or video conference with Judge Hodge to resolve straightforward discovery disputes and other issues, but complicated matters should be resolved by formal motion and briefing.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Email requests for telephone conferences must include an attached letter.
Counsel should submit a letter by email to Chambers summarizing the reason for the requested telephone conference. An email request without a letter attached will not be considered.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Stipulations requiring approval must be emailed with basis for relief.
Any stipulations requiring Court approval or the Judge’s signature must be submitted by email to Chambers. Counsel must provide the basis for any relief sought by stipulation. A stipulation absent any basis for the requested relief will be rejected by the Court.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Two courtesy copies required for documents over 25 pages, bound in 3-ring binder.
Parties must provide two (2) courtesy copies to the Court of any document submitted which is twenty-five (25) pages or more, including exhibits. The exhibits in the Court’s courtesy copies shall be clearly marked, tabbed, and bound in a 3-ring binder. Courtesy copies should be delivered by first-class mail or other delivery service. Courtesy copies will not be accepted via email.
Courtesy Copies Required
Logistics
Appearance
Documents must be in 12-point Times New Roman with one-inch margins and searchable PDFs.
All documents shall be filed in 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins. All PDF documents filed must be text searchable.
Rule 56 replies are limited to 10 pages and must cite record with exhibit, page, and line numbers.
The reply must specify the relevant exhibit, page, and line numbers when referring to the record. The reply may not exceed ten (10) pages.
Briefs in support of motions and oppositions are limited to 25 pages.
Any brief or memorandum filed in support of the motion should be limited to twenty-five (25) pages. Any brief or memorandum filed in opposition or in response to a motion is subject to the same page limitation.
Reply briefs are limited to 10 pages and must be filed within 7 days of opposition.
Reply briefs, addressing only issues raised in the brief in opposition and not repeating arguments in the brief, may be filed within seven (7) days of service of the opponent’s brief in opposition and shall be limited to ten (10) pages.
Surreplies require leave of court and are limited to 5 pages.
The parties must seek leave of court prior to file a surreply. If leave is granted, surreplies may not exceed five (5) pages.
Rule 56 motions by moving party are limited to 25 pages (excluding Statement of Facts).
The initial filing by the moving party should not exceed twenty-five (25) double-spaced, typewritten pages, excluding the Statement of Undisputed Material Facts.
Rule 56 surreplies are limited to 10 pages, must cite record with exhibit, page, and line numbers, and must be filed within 7 days of reply.
The non-moving party may, within seven (7) days after the reply is received, file a surreply. The surreply must specify the relevant exhibit, page, and line numbers when referring to the record and may not exceed ten (10) pages.
Motions to exceed page limits require showing good cause and must be filed before the deadline.
If a party requires more than twenty-five (25) pages to explain its position to the Court, a motion to exceed the page limit shall be filed prior to the deadline, setting forth good cause for granting an exception to this rule.
Multi-defendant motions heard jointly; joining requires leave; supporting memoranda max 20 pages
In multi-defendant proceedings, all motions will be heard jointly. Defendants may not join in codefendants’ pretrial motions without leave of the Court. If granted leave, supporting memoranda shall be filed as soon as possible and no later than seven (7) days before the hearing. Such supporting memoranda shall not exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages.
Reply/surreply memoranda require leave of Court and max 10 double-spaced pages
Reply and surreply memoranda may be filed only with leave of Court and shall not exceed ten (10) double-spaced pages.
Communications with chambers permitted by telephone or email letter for scheduling and non-substantive matters only; substantive issues must be filed on docket.
Judge Hodge permits communications with Chambers by telephone, or letter sent via email regarding scheduling and other non-substantive matters. An email request without a letter will not be considered. 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.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Email communications to chambers must include a letter attachment; email-only requests will not be considered.
Judge Hodge permits communications with Chambers by telephone, or letter sent via email regarding scheduling and other non-substantive matters. An email request without a letter will not be considered. All other issues must be addressed by an appropriate motion or other document filed on the docket.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Communications to Judge Hodge's personal email are prohibited.
Judge Hodge prohibits any communications to her personal email.
Direct to: Chambers
Telephone/video conferences for discovery disputes require certification of efforts to resolve with opposing counsel and a letter summarizing the request.
Counsel may request a telephone or video conference with Judge Hodge to resolve straightforward discovery disputes and other issues, but complicated matters should be resolved by formal motion and briefing. Counsel must make a substantive effort to address all discovery disputes with opposing counsel before requesting Judge Hodge's assistance and submit a certification to that end along with any discovery motions. Counsel should submit a letter by email to Chambers summarizing the reason for the requested telephone conference. An email request without a letter attached will not be considered.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Stipulations requiring court approval must be submitted by email to chambers with basis for relief stated.
Any stipulations requiring Court approval or the Judge's signature must be submitted by email to Chambers. Counsel must provide the basis for any relief sought by stipulation. A stipulation absent any basis for the requested relief will be rejected by the Court.
Direct to: Chambers
Documents 25+ pages require 2 courtesy copies with tabbed exhibits in 3-ring binder, delivered by mail; email delivery prohibited.
Parties must provide two (2) courtesy copies to the Court of any document submitted which is twenty-five (25) pages or more, including exhibits. The exhibits in the Court's courtesy copies shall be clearly marked, tabbed, and bound in a 3-ring binder. Courtesy copies should be delivered by first-class mail or other delivery service. Courtesy copies will not be accepted via email.
Courtesy Copies Required
Logistics
Appearance
All documents must use 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins; PDFs must be text searchable.
All documents shall be filed in 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins. All PDF documents filed must be text searchable.
Counsel must immediately notify Chambers upon settlement and request dismissal per Local Rule 41.1.
Upon reaching a settlement, counsel must notify Judge Hodge's Chambers immediately and request dismissal of the action pursuant to Local Rule of Civil Procedure 41.1.
Direct to: Chambers
Discovery motion briefs and responses are limited to 5 pages each.
When a discovery dispute arises, counsel are strongly urged to settle it among themselves. However, if after making a good faith effort, counsel are unable to resolve a disputed issue, counsel for the aggrieved party shall file with the Court a motion in conformity with Local Civil Rule 26.1(b), with a form of order, and short brief not to exceed five (5) pages describing the disputed issue(s). Within seven (7) days of the filing of the motion, any counsel opposing the motion shall file with a Court a response to the motion not to exceed five (5) pages in conformity with Local Rule 26.1(b).
Motion briefs and opposition briefs are limited to 25 pages each.
Any brief or memorandum filed in support of the motion should be limited to twenty-five (25) pages. Any brief or memorandum filed in opposition or in response to a motion is subject to the same page limitation.
Reply briefs are limited to 10 pages and must be filed within 7 days.
Reply briefs, addressing only issues raised in the brief in opposition and not repeating arguments in the brief, may be filed within seven (7) days of service of the opponent's brief in opposition and shall be limited to ten (10) pages.
Surreplies require leave of court and are limited to 5 pages.
The parties must seek leave of court prior to file a surreply. If leave is granted, surreplies may not exceed five (5) pages.
Rule 56 summary judgment initial filings are limited to 25 double-spaced pages, excluding the Statement of Undisputed Material Facts.
The initial filing by the moving party should not exceed twenty-five (25) double-spaced, typewritten pages, excluding the Statement of Undisputed Material Facts.
Rule 56 summary judgment responses are limited to 25 pages.
The response may not exceed twenty-five (25) pages.
Rule 56 summary judgment replies are limited to 10 pages.
The reply may not exceed ten (10) pages.
Rule 56 summary judgment surreplies are optional, due within 7 days, and limited to 10 pages.
The non-moving party may, within seven (7) days after the reply is received, file a surreply. The surreply must specify the relevant exhibit, page, and line numbers when referring to the record and may not exceed ten (10) pages.
Supporting memoranda for pretrial motions in multi-defendant proceedings are limited to 20 double-spaced pages.
In multi-defendant proceedings, all motions will be heard jointly. Defendants may not join in codefendants' pretrial motions without leave of the Court. If granted leave, supporting memoranda shall be filed as soon as possible and no later than seven (7) days before the hearing. Such supporting memoranda shall not exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages.
Response memoranda in criminal cases are limited to 20 double-spaced pages.
Criminal Procedure. Response memoranda shall not exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages.
Reply and surreply memoranda in criminal cases are limited to 10 double-spaced pages and require leave of Court.
Reply and surreply memoranda may be filed only with leave of Court and shall not exceed ten (10) double-spaced pages.
Proposed voir dire questions must be submitted in Microsoft Word format via email to Chambers.
Counsel must submit proposed voir dire questions in Microsoft Word format via email to Chambers and should do so in accordance with the Scheduling Order.
Direct to: Chambers
Guilty plea documents must be emailed to Chambers 7 days prior to the change of plea hearing.
Before a defendant offers a guilty plea, the guilty plea memorandum, guilty plea agreement (if applicable), and acknowledgment of rights must be completed and reviewed with the defendant and must be provided to the Court via email to Chambers seven (7) days prior to the change of plea hearing, except in extenuating circumstances.
Direct to: Chambers