Court Rules
district Judge
Verified Current11 days ago

Judge Darrin P. Gayles

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Southern District of Florida

Limits & Logistics

Courtesy Copies

Filings (Notice Of Hearing)

Required

Communication

Phone

Chambers

(305) 523-5720
Scheduling
Letter Ecf

Chambers

No Status Inquiries
Email

Clerk

Scheduling
Advance Notice Required
No Status Inquiries
Phone

Chambers

Scheduling
No Status Inquiries
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantFormattingCommunicationDiscoveryECF FilingElectronicsConferencesLettersProposed Orders

Detailed Drafting Rules

Pre-Motion ProcedureMandatory

Parties must have actual conversation (in person or phone) before filing discovery hearing notice.

Counsel must actually confer (in person or via telephone) and engage in reasonable compromise in a genuine effort to resolve their discovery disputes before filing a notice of a discovery hearing. In other words, there must be an actual conversation before a discovery hearing notice is filed. If counsel refuses to participate in a conversation, then the party seeking to set a discovery hearing shall so state in the required certificate of conference and outline the efforts made to have a conversation.

Pre-Motion Conference

Check specific requirements before filing.

Letter Requirements

Status
Optional
Communication ProtocolNote

Contact Chambers at (305) 523-5720 to schedule discovery hearing.

The party seeking the discovery hearing shall contact Chambers at (305) 523-5720 to place the matter on the next available discovery calendar.

Phone

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Letters requesting relief are prohibited unless invited or directed by the judge.

Local Rule 7.7 (entitled “correspondence to the Court”) prohibits an attorney from presenting to the Court a “letter or the like” which “request[s] relief in any form.” The rule has an exception: a letter or similar communication (such as an email note) may be submitted if the presiding judge “invite[s] or direct[s]” the attorney

Letter via ECF

Approved Topics
Status Inquiries
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Format RequirementMandatory

Proposed orders must be in Word format, 12-pt Palatino Linotype, double-spaced, justified, with page numbers starting on page 2.

If a party submits a proposed order to the Undersigned, then it must be in Microsoft Word format in 12-point Palatino Linotype font. The proposed order must be double spaced, justified, and the case style must mirror the case style used in this Order. If the proposed order is more than one page, then it must include page numbers, beginning on the second page.

Typography
Font FamilyPalatino Linotype
Size12 pt
Line SpacingDouble
Layout & Binding
Margins
Top:1"
Left:1.25"
Right:1.25"
Bottom:1"
Required Format

DOCX

Communication ProtocolImportant

Pro se litigants must maintain current email address with the Court after filing consent.

If a pro se litigant files the consent form mentioned above, then he or she is responsible for maintaining a current email address with the Court.

Email

Direct to: Clerk

Approved Topics
Status Inquiries
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Pro se litigants prohibited from emailing Chambers for relief or filing copies.

The pro se litigant shall not email Chambers requesting any form of relief, including emailing a copy of their filings in violation of both Local Rule 7.7 and Section 2C of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures mentioned above.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Communication ProtocolNote

Pro se litigants may call Chambers to schedule discovery hearings.

If a pro se litigant has a discovery dispute, then he or she may call Chambers to schedule a discovery hearing per this Order.

Phone

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Communication ProtocolNote

If discovery dispute is resolved, contact Chambers and file CM/ECF notice to cancel hearing.

If those efforts are successful, then counsel should contact Chambers as soon as practicable to inform the Undersigned that the hearing will be timely cancelled. After contacting Chambers, the party who scheduled the hearing must file a notice on CM/ECF indicating that all issues were resolved and that the hearing is cancelled.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    as soon as practicable
Page 11
|SecDiscovery Hearing Procedures
Communication ProtocolNote

If partial resolution, contact Chambers and file CM/ECF notice of resolved issues before hearing.

Alternatively, if the parties resolve some, but not all, of their issues before the hearing, then counsel shall also timely contact Chambers and then also provide a pre-hearing written notice on CM/ECF (with as much lead time as possible) about those issues which are no longer in dispute (so that the Court and its staff do not unnecessarily work on matters no longer in dispute).

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    as much lead time as possible
Page 11
|SecDiscovery Hearing Procedures

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