Judge Dale E. Ho
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Filings
Not Required
Filings (Proposed Order)
Required
Filings (Joint Pretrial Order)
Required
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Original Date
- 2Number Of Previous Requests
- 3Adversary Position
- 4Reason For Request
Must Include
- 1Affects Other Dates
- 2Original Date
- 3Reason For Request
- 4Adversary Position
- 5Proposed New Dates
- 6Number Of Previous Requests
- 7Previous Requests Granted Or Denied
- 8Proposed Rescheduled Date
Communication
Chambers
Letter Fax
Chambers
Hand Delivery
Chambers
Chambers
Letter Ecf
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Detailed Drafting Rules
Counsel must request permission before approaching bench/witness box; documents for Court go to Courtroom Deputy.
Counsel should request permission before approaching the bench or the witness box, and any document that counsel wishes to have the Court examine should be handed to the Courtroom Deputy.
Direct to: Chambers
- Hours9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Status Inquiries
Pro se parties cannot send documents directly to chambers.
No documents or court filings may be sent directly to Chambers.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Pro se communications must be in writing via ECF, email, in-person, or mail.
All communications with the Court by a pro se party should be in writing and filed on ECF or sent to the Pro Se Office by email as a PDF, delivered in person, or physically mailed as described in Section 3(b) below.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Discovery disputes require conference before filing letter-motion (max 3 pages)
If there are any discovery disputes, the parties are required to confer with one another to try to resolve the dispute without the need for Court intervention. If the parties are unable to resolve their dispute, either party may file a letter-motion, no longer than three pages and in accordance with Section 2 above, explaining the nature of the dispute and requesting an informal conference.
Pre-Motion Conference
A pre-motion conference is mandatory before filing. You must submit a letter first.
Letter Requirements
Responsive letter to discovery dispute must not exceed 3 pages
If the opposing party wishes to respond to the letter, it must promptly file a responsive letter, not to exceed three pages.
Conference notices will be docketed on ECF and mailed to pro se parties
Notices scheduling a court conference will be docketed on ECF and mailed to the pro se party or parties.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
Incarcerated parties may participate by telephone if unable to attend in-person conferences
An incarcerated party may not be able to attend scheduled in-person conferences but may be able to participate by telephone.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
Family member or representative may attend conference if incarcerated party cannot participate
If an incarcerated party is unable to participate by telephone, a family member or a representative may attend or otherwise participate in the conference.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
Representatives should contact Chambers at (212) 805-0190 to determine conference location
If a representative is designated, he or she should contact Chambers at (212) 805-0190 to determine the location of the conference.
Court will send conference transcript to incarcerated party
The Court will also have a transcript of the conference sent to the incarcerated party.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
Incarcerated pro se party without representative should write to Judge about conference issues
If an incarcerated party does not have counsel and a representative cannot attend a conference, the pro se party should write to the Judge regarding any issue the pro se party wishes to have addressed at the conference.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
Letters are limited to 3 pages without Court permission.
Letters may not exceed three pages in length (exclusive of exhibits or attachments) without prior permission from the Court.
Large files require special file transfer protocol via email request.
The Court has a file transfer protocol for the safe electronic transmission of large files. If a party needs to submit large files by email (as opposed to ECF), the party should email the Court (at HoNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov) requesting a link to be used for such transfer.
Government may use USAfx for large file transfers.
The Government may use USAfx.
Only one attorney may speak per party in remote conferences without Court permission.
Absent permission of the Court, no more than one attorney shall speak on behalf of any party.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Remote conference participants must identify themselves, spell names, and avoid interruptions.
To facilitate orderly teleconferences and the creation of an accurate transcript where a teleconference is held on the record, counsel are required to identify themselves every time they speak. Counsel should spell any proper names for the court reporter and take special care not to interrupt or speak over one another.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Motion papers must comply with Local Civil Rule 11.1 formatting requirements.
Motion papers must conform to Local Civil Rule 11.1 of the S.D.N.Y. Local Rules.
Opening memoranda limited to 25 pages, reply memoranda to 10 pages.
Opening memoranda are limited to 25 pages and reply memoranda are limited to 10 pages.
Memoranda of law must be 12-point font or larger, double-spaced; footnotes may be single-spaced.
All memoranda of law shall be in twelve-point font or larger and double-spaced. All footnotes shall be in twelve-point font or larger and may be single-spaced.
Memoranda of 10+ pages require table of contents and table of authorities (excluded from page count).
Memoranda of 10 pages or more shall contain a table of contents and a table of authorities, neither of which shall count against the page limit.
Document Type
Memorandum Of Law
Moving party must provide Rule 56.1 Statement (max 20 pages) in Word format to all parties.
The moving party shall provide all other parties with an electronic copy, in Microsoft Word format, of the moving party’s Statement of Material Facts Pursuant to Local Rule 56.1 (“Rule 56.1 Statement”), limited to 20 pages.
Document Type
Motion For Summary Judgment
Opposing parties must reproduce and respond to each Rule 56.1 entry; additional statements max 20 pages.
Opposing parties must reproduce each entry in the moving party’s Rule 56.1 Statement and set out the opposing party’s response directly beneath it. If the opposing party wishes to file their own, additional statements of material fact, it shall begin numbering each entry where the moving party left off. Such additional statements are limited to 20 pages.
Document Type
Opposition To Summary Judgment
Discovery letter-motions limited to 3 pages.
If the meet-and-confer process does not resolve the dispute, the party seeking discovery may file on ECF a letter-motion, no longer than three pages, explaining the nature of the dispute and, if applicable, why the party is entitled to relief and requesting a conference before the Court.
Opposition to discovery letter-motions limited to 3 pages.
Any opposition to a letter-motion seeking relief shall be filed as a letter, not to exceed three pages, within three business days.
Notice of temporary restraining order filing must be emailed to Chambers.
The moving party must email HoNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov giving notice of the filing and the time frame requested for Court action.
Direct to: Chambers
Email letter-motions for alternative filing methods to HoNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov as PDF attachments with specific subject line requirements.
Any party unable to comply with the requirement for electronic filing under seal on ECF, or who believes that a particular document should not be electronically filed at all, shall file a letter-motion by email, seeking leave of the Court to file in a different manner. Such letter-motions may be emailed to HoNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov as text-searchable PDF attachments, with copies simultaneously delivered to all counsel. In the subject line, the cover email should state clearly: (1) the caption of the case, including the lead party names and docket number; and (2) a brief description of the nature of the request. Parties shall not include substantive communications in the body of the email.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredsubject_line_must_include_case_caption_docket_number_and_nature_of_request
- Status Inquiries
Email completed Model Court Order to HoNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov at least 5 business days before trial/hearing to request permission for electronic devices.
Attorneys’ use of personal electronic devices (including mobile phones) and general purpose computing devices (such as laptops and tablets) within the Courthouse and its environs is governed by Standing Order M10-468. When Court permission is required under the Standing Order, attorneys seeking to bring electronic devices to the Court should email a completed Model Court Order to HoNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov no later than five business days before the relevant trial or hearing. Upon the Court’s approval, Chambers will coordinate with the District Executive’s Office to issue the order and forward a copy to counsel. The order must be presented upon bringing the electronic device(s) into the Courthouse.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required5_business_days_before_trial_or_hearing
Wi-Fi authorization available for hearings/trials in Judge Ho's Courtroom; see separate Individual Practices document.
Attorneys may obtain authorization to use the Court’s Wi-Fi system in Judge Ho’s Courtroom during a hearing or trial. For further information, see Judge Ho’s Individual Practices for Hearings and Trials, available on the Court’s website (https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-dale-e-ho).