Judge Katharine H. Parker
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
- 1 copy • Email
Filings > 10 pages
- 1 copy • Within One Business Day
Adjournments
- Adjournment/extension requests require at least 48 hours or 2 business days notice.
Communication
Letter via ECF
Intake Unit
Page & Word Limits2 rules
Joint pre-conference agenda letters limited to 6 pages, filed one week before conference.
In some cases, the Court may require a joint pre-conference agenda letter. Joint pre-conference agenda letters shall be limited to 6 pages and filed a week in advance of a conference unless otherwise specified or permitted by the Court.
Joint Pre Conference Agenda Letter
6 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Memoranda of law may only exceed the length limitations set forth under Local Civil Rule 7.1 if prior permission has been granted.
Memorandum Of Law
Document Format Requirements8 rules
The parties shall also each submit one hard copy of the pre-marked exhibits in a well- organized three-ring binder separated by tab dividers.
Courtesy copies should be placed in well-organized three-ring binder(s). Where appropriate, the binder(s) shall be separated by tab dividers preceded by an
Faxes. No faxed communications shall be permitted without prior permission from Judge Parker's Chambers. Faxes must not exceed three pages.
All moving papers, letter-motions, and letters filed on ECF or emailed to chambers must be in searchable PDF form.
Video submissions must be on thumb drive or emailed to Chambers.
If a party is submitting a video, the clip shall be provided on a thumb drive delivered to Chambers and labeled with a case name and docket number. Alternatively, the clip may be emailed to the Chambers email address noted above.
Letters to court limited to 3 single-space pages (excluding exhibits).
Letters. Communications with the Court should be by letter filed on ECF except for settlement conference submissions and in camera submissions. Letters may not exceed 3 single-space pages in length (exclusive of exhibits).
Letter motions limited to 3 single-space pages (excluding exhibits).
Letter motions shall be filed on ECF in accordance with the S.D.N.Y. Local Rules and the S.D.N.Y. Electronic Case Filing Rules and Instructions. Requests that may be made by letter motion include requests for a discovery conference to address a discovery dispute before formal motion practice, adjournments, extensions, pre-motion conferences, sealing, and requests for a settlement conference. Letter motions are limited to 3 single-space pages (not including exhibits).
Additionally, to the extent citing unreported cases, parties are requested to use Westlaw citations whenever possible.
Document Filing Requirements19 rules
Pro se Pretrial Statement must be filed with Pro Se Office and served on other parties with date indication.
The party must file an original Statement with the Pro Se Office (see I(a)) and serve a copy on all other parties or their counsel if represented. The original Statement must indicate the date a copy was mailed to the other party or that party's attorney.
DocumentPretrial Statement
In pro se cases, no Joint Pretrial Order is needed. Instead, within 30 days after the completion of discovery each party shall file its own Pretrial Statement.
DocumentPretrial Statement
Pro se Pretrial Statement must include facts, evidence list, and witness list.
The pro se party's Pretrial Statement need take no particular form, but must be concise and contain: (1) a statement of the facts the party hopes to prove at trial; (2) a list of all documents or other physical objects that the party plans to put into evidence at trial; and (3) a list of the names and addresses of all witnesses the party intends to have testify at trial.
DocumentPretrial Statement
The Statement must be sworn by the party to be true and accurate based on the facts known by the party.
DocumentPretrial Statement
Where any government agency is a party, counsel of record must be accompanied by a knowledgeable representative from the agency.
Where liability insurance is involved, a decision-making representative of each carrier must attend unless specifically excused by the Court.
Comptroller's representative must attend or be available by phone for NYC settlement authority cases.
In cases where the Comptroller of the City of New York has authority over settlement, the Assistant Corporation Counsel must make arrangements in advance of the conference for a representative of the Comptroller either to attend the conference or to be available by telephone to approve any proposed settlement.
DocumentSettlement Conference
Corporate parties or labor unions must send the person with decision-making authority to settle the matter to the conference.
Settlement demand must be made 14 days before conference; response required 8 days before.
If the plaintiff has not already made a settlement demand, such a demand shall be communicated to the opposing party no later than 14 days prior to the conference. If it has not already done so, the opposing party shall respond to any demand no later than 8 days prior to the conference.
DocumentSettlement Demand
The Settlement Conference Summary Form and letter should be emailed to Parker_NYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.
DocumentSettlement Conference Summary
The parties – not just the attorneys – must attend the Settlement Conference in person.
Adjournment/extension requests must be ECF letter-motions with specific required elements.
All requests for adjournments or extensions of time must be filed on ECF as letter-motions. The letter-motion must state: (1) the original date(s); (2) the number of previous requests for adjournment or extension; and (3) whether the adversary consents and, if not, the reasons given by the adversary for refusing to consent.
DocumentLetter Motion
Default judgment motions require additional procedural history and defendant-specific information.
Parties should follow Local Civil Rule 55 regarding default judgment. In addition, parties shall provide the following information in the notice of motion or memorandum of law supporting the motion: 1. The procedural history beyond service of the summons and complaint, if any; 2. Whether the default is applicable to fewer than all of the defendants, and, if so, a statement addressing whether the Court may appropriately order a default judgment on the issue of damages prior to resolution of the entire action.
DocumentDefault Judgment
If a party fails to comply with the attendance requirements, that party may be required to reimburse all the other parties for their time and travel expenses and may face other sanctions.
In the event personal attendance is a hardship, a party may make a written request no later than one week in advance of the conference to attend by phone.
Use of generative AI tools is permitted but requires verification of accuracy to avoid Rule 11 violations.
Although the use of ChatGPT and other such genera�ve ar�ficial intelligence (“AI”) tools is not prohibited, unqualified reliance on such tools may result in filings replete with misrepresenta�ons and fabricated case law. Failure to exercise due care in reviewing and filing work product created with the assistance of genera�ve AI tools may violate Rule 11 and other applicable standards of prac�ce and expose the filer to sanc�ons or other correc�ve or disciplinary ac�on. See, e.g., Park v. Kim, 91 F.4th 610, 614 (2d Cir. 2024) (referring atorney who filed brief relying on non-existent cases to grievance panel).
DocumentAll
The parties also are advised that to the extent there is a dispute about privilege, the Court expects that privilege log to be submitted in excel format with hyperlinks to any in camera documents for review and columns addressing author, recipients, attorney designations, privilege asserted, subject matter of communication, explanation for privilege.
DocumentPrivilege Log
Memoranda of 10 pages or more shall contain a table of contents and a table of authorities, neither of which shall count against the word limit.
DocumentMemorandum Of Law
Settlement Conference Summary Form and 3-page letter required 7 days before conference.
Unless otherwise directed by the Court, no later than 7 days before the Settlement Conference, found at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-katharine-h-parker. Each party also must provide the Court with a letter, not to exceed three pages, summarizing the issues in the case, the settlement value of the case and rationale for it, case law authority relevant to settlement discussions, and any other facts that would be helpful to the Court in preparation for the conference.
DocumentSettlement Conference Summary
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Privilege logs should be produced simultaneously with or within a week of each production tranche.
Date(s) for production of privilege logs (The Court's preference is that privilege logs be produced simultaneously or within a week of each production tranche):
Civil cases
Page 8 | (5) Privileged Material
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Courtesy copies of pre-marked exhibits must be emailed to chambers.
The parties shall each send a courtesy copy of all exhibits, pre-marked, to Parker_NYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov. Exhibits need not be filed electronically on ECF.
Page 9 | V. Settlement Conferences
Courtesy copies required within one business day if Settlement Conference exhibits exceed 10 pages.
A courtesy copy of Ex Parte Settlement Conference Summary Forms and Letters shall be submitted to the Court if the exhibits to the Letter exceed 10 pages. Courtesy copies must be provided no later than one business day after submission of the Form and Letter.
Page 10 | V. Settlement Conferences
No courtesy copies required for ECF filings as general rule.
Courtesy Copies. As a general rule, and except as otherwise specified herein, no physical/paper courtesy copies of documents filed on ECF should be sent to Judge Parker.
Sealing & Redaction Procedures
Request to file redacted documents under seal requires letter motion with specific legal justification.
Any party wishing to file in redacted form any pleading, motion, memorandum, exhibit, or other document, or any portion thereof, based on a party’s designation of information as Confidential, must make a specific request to the Court by letter motion explaining the reasons for seeking to file that submission under seal and addressing the request in light of the Court of Appeals’ opinions in Lugosch v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga, 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006) and Bernstein v. Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP, 814 F.3d 132 (2d Cir. 2016).
Parties must move for leave to file sealed documents on paper if unable to use ECF system.
Any party unable to comply with the requirement for electronic filing under seal through the ECF system, or who has reason to believe that a particular document should not be electronically filed, must move for leave of the Court to file in the traditional manner, on paper.
Sealed/redacted filing requests must be filed electronically via ECF per standing order 19-mc-00583.
Letter Motions for approval of sealed or redacted filings in civil and miscellaneous cases and the subject documents, including the proposed sealed document(s), must be filed electronically through the court’s ECF system in conformity with the court’s standing order, 19-mc-00583, and ECF Rules & Instructions, section 6.
Proposed sealed documents must be contemporaneously filed under seal in ECF and electronically related to motion.
The proposed sealed document must be contemporaneously filed under seal in the ECF system and electronically related to the motion. The summary docket text, but not the sealed document, will be open to public inspection and should not include confidential information sought to be filed under seal.
Joint submission required for redaction requests based on another party's confidential designation.
If a request for redactions is based on another party’s designation of information as Confidential, the parties shall confer and jointly submit the request for redactions.
Sealed filings require both public redacted version and sealed unredacted version with redactions highlighted.
to be publicly filed, the filing party shall: (a) publicly file the document with the proposed redactions, and (b) electronically file under seal a copy of the unredacted document with the proposed redactions highlighted. Both documents must be electronically filed through the ECF system and related to the motion.
Motion for seal must be public; supporting papers filed separately under seal only as necessary.
The motion must be filed in public view, must explain the particular reasons for seeking to file that information under seal and should not include confidential information sought to be filed under seal. Supporting papers must be separately filed electronically and may be filed under seal or redacted only to the extent necessary to safeguard information to be filed under seal.
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Pre-motion conference required for all motions except specified exemptions.
A pre-motion conference is required for all motions except (i) letter motions specified in 1(b) above; (ii) motions that are required by the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure or the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to be made by a certain time, (iii) motions by litigants in actions where a party is incarcerated and pro se, (iv) motions for reconsideration, (v) motions for a new trial, (vi) motions in limine, (vii) motions to dismiss habeas corpus petitions, (viii) motions for default (see also Appendix A); and (ix) motions for judgment on the pleadings or summary judgment in social security cases.
Pre-motion letter limited to 3 pages; responses limited to 3 pages within 3 business days.
Letters requesting a pre-motion conference should summarize the basis of the motion and follow the procedures for communicating with the Court set forth in Section I. Letters may not exceed 3 pages. Within 3 business days of receipt of the letter, each opposing party may submit a written response of no more than 3 pages.
Sur-replies require prior permission.
Sur-reply memoranda will not be accepted without prior permission of the Court.
Discovery disputes require meet-and-confer, then 3-page ECF letter-motion with 3-day response time.
Any party wishing to raise a discovery dispute with the Court must first confer in good faith with the opposing party, in person or by telephone, in an effort to resolve the dispute. If this meet-and-confer process does not resolve the dispute, the party may submit an ECF letter-motion to the Court, not to exceed 3 pages, explaining the nature of the dispute and requesting a conference. Such letter must include a representation that the meet-and-confer process occurred and state when it occurred. Any responsive letter should be submitted within 3 business days after submission of the letter-motion.
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Pre-sentence submissions for misdemeanors due 2 weeks before sentencing.
Misdemeanor Sentencing. Pre-sentence submissions for misdemeanors should be submitted no later than 2 weeks before the scheduled sentencing.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Misdemeanor Sentencing
Adjournment/extension requests require at least 48 hours or 2 business days notice.
Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time. Absent good cause, any request for extension or adjournment shall be made at least 48 hours or 2 business days, whichever is greater, before the deadline or scheduled appearance.
Chambers Communication Rules
For late-night/weekend warrants, email and call Judge Parker's cell phone.
Late-night or weekend warrants. If you anticipate the need for a late-night or weekend warrant, please send Judge Parker an email at the warrant address and call Judge Parker on her personal cell phone, available on the criminal duty roster.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Criminal Applications
Warrants. Arrest and search warrants, including applications for cell site information, triggerfish, and GPS tracking, should be emailed to KHP_Rule41Warrants@nysd.uscourts.gov specifying the time that the agent and U.S. Attorney are available to swear out the complaint or affidavit.
Warrants. Arrest and search warrants, including applications for cell site information, triggerfish, and GPS tracking, should be emailed to KHP_Rule41Warrants@nysd.uscourts.gov specifying the time that the agent and U.S. Attorney are available to swear out the complaint or affidavit.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Criminal Applications
Plea materials must be emailed 24 hours in advance to Parker_NYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.
Pleas. At least 24 hours in advance of a plea, the indictment/information, plea agreement, a summary of the elements of the offense(s), and the maximum and mandatory penalties for each crime/count should be emailed to Parker_NYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Pleas
Pro se parties must communicate through Pro Se Intake Unit, not directly to Chambers.
Pro Se Parties. By Standing Order, a pro se party must mail all communications with the Court to the Pro Se Intake Unit located at 500 Pearl St., Room 230, New York, NY 10007. A pro se party may not call Chambers or send any document or filing directly to Chambers. Submissions requiring immediate attention should be hand-delivered to the Pro Se Intake Unit. Unless the Court orders otherwise, all communications with the Court will be docketed upon receipt; such docketing shall constitute service on any user of the ECF system. If any other party is not a user of the ECF system (e.g., if there is another pro se party in the case), a pro se party must send copies of any filing to the party and include proof of service affirming that he or she has done so. Copies of correspondence between a pro se party and opposing parties shall not be sent to the Court.
Junior Lawyer Participation Incentives
Junior members of legal teams representing clients are invited to argue motions they have helped prepare and to question witnesses with whom they have worked. Firms are encouraged to provide this opportunity to junior attorneys for training purposes. This court is amenable to permitting a number of lawyers to argue for one party if this creates an opportunity for a junior lawyer to participate. The ultimate decision of who speaks on behalf of the client is for the lawyer in charge of the case, not for the Court.
Junior members of legal teams representing clients are invited to argue motions they have helped prepare and to question witnesses with whom they have worked. Firms are encouraged to provide this opportunity to junior attorneys for training purposes. This court is amenable to permitting a number of lawyers to argue for one party if this creates an opportunity for a junior lawyer to participate. The ultimate decision of who speaks on behalf of the client is for the lawyer in charge of the case, not for the Court.
Junior attorneys invited to address Court at case management conferences.
Junior members of legal teams representing clients are invited to address the Court at case management conferences. Firms are encouraged to provide this opportunity to junior attorneys for training purposes. This Court is amenable to permitting different lawyers on a team to speak on different issues if this creates an opportunity for a junior lawyer to participate.