Judge Jed S. Rakoff
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Filings
Required
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Original Date
- 3Number Of Previous Requests
- 4Previous Requests Granted Or Denied
- 5Adversary Position
- 6Proposed New Dates
- 7Proposed Rescheduled Date
- 8Affects Other Dates
- 9Emergency Nature
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Original Date
- 3Number Of Previous Requests
- 4Previous Requests Granted Or Denied
- 5Adversary Position
- 6Proposed New Dates
- 7Proposed Rescheduled Date
- 8Affects Other Dates
- 9Emergency Nature
Communication
Phone
Chambers
Chambers
Chambers
Detailed Drafting Rules
All communications with chambers must be via joint telephone calls; written/email correspondence is prohibited except as authorized.
All communications with Chambers must be by means of joint telephone calls, as described in Rule 2, infra. Correspondence with the Court (whether by letter, email, or otherwise), filing correspondence on ECF or docketing correspondence with the Clerk of Court, and copying the Court on correspondence with others, is strictly forbidden, except as specifically authorized by these rules or expressly requested by the Court.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Status Inquiries
Email allowed only when authorized; must be PDF attachments to specific chambers email with case caption in subject line.
Where specifically authorized by these rules or expressly requested by the Court, e-mail communication shall be sent to RakoffNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov as .pdf attachments with copies simultaneously delivered to all counsel. Emails shall state clearly in the subject line (i) the full caption of the case, including the party names and docket number, and (ii) the contents of the email.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Hoursunspecified
- Status Inquiries
No ex parte communications with chambers permitted except for limited criminal cases or before notice of appearance.
No ex parte communication with Chambers is permitted, even on consent of opposing counsel, except for those limited applications in criminal cases expressly permitted by statute to be made ex parte or when counsel for a party has not yet entered a notice of appearance.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Status Inquiries
All affected parties' counsel must participate in phone calls to chambers; lead counsel may be designated.
Counsel for all affected parties must be on the line whenever a telephone call to Chambers is placed; however, all similarly situated parties may, if they wish, designate a 'lead' counsel in advance to represent them on any such call.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Status Inquiries
All attorneys on phone calls to chambers must be on the docket or have filed pro hac vice motion.
All attorneys participating in a phone conference with Chambers must have appeared on the docket or have filed a motion for pro hac vice admission.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Status Inquiries
Chambers available for phone calls 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM; no advance scheduling needed within these hours.
The Judge and/or his clerks are normally available to receive telephone calls between 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. If calling within these hours, counsel need not schedule a telephone call to Chambers in advance.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Hours9:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
- Status Inquiries
Voicemail messages must include docket number and names/phone numbers of all participating counsel.
If all lines are busy, the call will be transferred to voicemail. Any message left on the Chambers voicemail or with Chambers staff must include the docket number of the case and the names and telephone numbers of all participating counsel.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Status Inquiries
Phone calls to chambers must clearly state application nature, reasons, and opposition status.
On calls to Chambers, parties should be prepared to state clearly and succinctly (1) the nature of their application (the relief requested of the Court); (2) the reasons for their application; and (3) whether a given application is opposed by another party.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requirednone
- Status Inquiries
All parties must be available for chambers call within 24 hours of request.
If counsel for any party seeks to convene a call to Chambers, counsel for all other affected parties are expected to make themselves available for such a call within 24 hours of the request.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredwithin_24_hours
If parties unavailable for call, send 2-page letter to chambers describing efforts and proposed motion.
If, after successive attempts, counsel for any affected party is unavailable for the call, the initiating party may then send Chambers and all affected counsel an email or a letter, not to exceed two double-spaced pages, describing the efforts made to convene a conference call and briefly describing the proposed motion or application.
Pre-Motion Conference
A pre-motion conference is mandatory before filing. You must submit a letter first.
Letter Requirements
Memoranda of law limited to 25 pages (moving/answering) and 10 pages (reply).
Unless otherwise specified by the Court, any memorandum of law submitted with the moving papers or the answering papers on any motion is limited to 25 double-spaced pages, and any reply memorandum is limited to 10 double-spaced pages.
Memoranda must use 12-point Times New Roman font on 8½ x 11 paper.
Both the text and footnotes in such memoranda of law must be in 12 point type on 8½ by 11 inch paper (or the electronic equivalent), with Times New Roman type preferred.
ECF documents must be word-searchable to the extent reasonably practicable.
All documents filed on ECF must be word-searchable to the extent reasonably practicable.
Motions in limine limited to 15 pages each, 30 pages total per party.
Each motion in limine is limited to 15 double-spaced pages, but each party is strictly limited to 30 total double-spaced pages for all motions in limine combined, unless it seeks leave of the Court for a greater page limit no later than two weeks before trial.
Electronic devices/WiFi access requires emailing form to Linda Kotowski.
Should any counsel seek to bring an electronic device into the courthouse or seek access to the courthouse WiFi, they should email the Courthouse’s Fillable Form for Electronic Devices to Judge Rakoff’s Courtroom Deputy, Linda Kotowski, at linda_kotowski@nysd.uscourts.gov.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required
- Hours
- Status Inquiries