Judge Kimba M. Wood
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Proposed New Dates
- 3Affects Other Dates
- 4Emergency Nature
Communication
Side Bar
Chambers
Verbal
Chambers
Letter Ecf
Chambers
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Letter Fax
Chambers
Hand Delivery
Chambers
Chambers
Detailed Drafting Rules
Side bar conferences are strongly disfavored; save non-urgent matters for recess.
The Court strongly disfavors side bar conferences; counsel should save for a recess any matters that do not require immediate resolution.
Side Bar
- Status Inquiries
Counsel must provide witness list and unusual spelling list to Court Reporter at trial start.
Counsel must provide the Court Reporter with a list of witnesses at the start of trial. In addition, if the spelling of people, places, or things is unusual, counsel must provide a list of such words to the Court Reporter.
Document Type
Trial Preparation
Speak distinctly, avoid overlapping speech, and speak at a pace the Court Reporter can follow.
Speak distinctly; do not speak while someone else is speaking. Do not speak so fast that the Court Reporter has difficulty keeping up with the speaker.
Verbal
- Speaking Pacemoderate
- Overlapping Speech Prohibited
Counsel must clarify witness answers about distances or objects for the record.
Answers given by a witness relating to distances in the Courtroom, or objects before the witness, should be clarified by counsel for the record, so that the transcript will convey a clear report of what took place at trial.
Verbal
- Clarification Required
- Clarification Scopedistances_and_objects
Counsel must notify court and adversaries in writing of scheduling conflicts before trial date is set.
Therefore, counsel must notify the Court and their adversaries in writing of any potential scheduling conflicts, including, but not limited to, trials and vacations, that would prevent at trial on a particular date. Such notice must come before counsel are notified by the Court of an actual trial date, not after.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredbefore trial date is set
Final pretrial conference scheduled for jury cases; non-jury cases referred to magistrate for settlement.
The Court will schedule a final pretrial conference in jury cases after the parties have filed their joint pretrial order. Non-jury cases will be referred to the designated Magistrate Judge for settlement after the joint pretrial order has been signed.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
All communications must include case name, docket number, judge initials, writer info, and service statement.
All communications to the Court and all filed papers must identify the name and docket number of the case, followed by the Judge’s initials (KMW), contain the writer’s name, party’s name, law firm (if any), business address and telephone number, and be signed by the individual attorney responsible for the matter (unless the party is proceeding pro se). Any letter to the Court must state the manner in which the letter was served on all other counsel.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Court’s individual rules and trial procedures available online.
The Court’s Individual Rules and Trial Procedures are available at http://nysd.uscourts.gov/ judge/Wood.
Direct to: Chambers
Written request required for deviations from scheduling order per § 1.G of Judge Wood’s rules.
in this Scheduling Order, it must submit a written request to the Court that complies with § 1.G of Judge Wood’s Individual Rules of Practice.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
Civil case conferences and proceedings will be held by telephone unless otherwise ordered.
In Civil Cases. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, all conferences and proceedings in civil cases will be held by telephone. In some cases, the Court may direct one of the parties to set up a conference line. In all other cases, the parties should call into the Court’s dedicated conference line.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- HoursUnless otherwise ordered by the Court
Criminal case conferences and proceedings will be held by telephone or video when possible, with counsel required to submit a letter one week before scheduled appearances.
In Criminal Cases. To the maximum extent possible, all conferences and proceedings will be held by either telephone or video. No later than one week before a scheduled appearance, counsel must confer and submit a letter to the Court indicating their views on whether the Court can, consistent with the U.S. Constitution, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (see, e.g., Rules 5(f), 10(b) & (c), and 43) and any other relevant law, conduct the matter by telephone or video and, if applicable, whether the Defendant either consents to appearing in that manner or to waiving his or her appearance altogether.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredone week before scheduled appearance
Court’s dedicated conference line is (888) 363-4749 with access code 1613818.
The Court’s dedicated conference line is: (888) 363-4749; Access Code 1613818. Conference-line access information will also be published on the public docket for every case in which a teleconference is scheduled.
Parties must email list of participating counsel and their phone numbers at least 24 hours before scheduled teleconference.
At least twenty-four hours before a scheduled teleconference, the parties must jointly email to the Court a list of counsel — absent permission of the Court — who will be participating in the teleconference. The email should also provide the telephone numbers from which counsel expect to join the call.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredat least twenty-four hours before scheduled teleconference
Counsel must identify themselves each time they speak and may not use speakerphone without permission during teleconferences.
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, and, for sound quality purposes, may not use speakerphone absent permission of the Court.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Telephone calls go to voicemail with potential delays; parties should use ECF or email for requests and inquiries.
Telephone calls will not be answered but will go to voicemail; and there may be significant delays in responding to any voicemail messages. Thus, parties are encouraged to make any requests or inquiries to the Court through ECF or, if permitted or required under the Court’s Individual Rules and Practices, by email.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
For urgent matters, email chambers with “URGENT” in subject line, case name and docket number, issue description, and contact phone number.
For urgent matters requiring immediate attention, parties should send an email to Chambers that (1) includes the word “URGENT” in the subject line; (2) specifies the case name and docket number; (3) briefly describes the nature of the issue; and (4) provides a telephone number at which the party (and any other relevant parties) can be reached.
Direct to: Chambers
- HoursNone specified
Faxes are not permitted for any purposes.
Letter Fax
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Hand deliveries to chambers are prohibited without advance permission from the court.
Nothing may be delivered to Chambers absent advance permission from the Court.
Hand Delivery
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
TRO applications must be emailed with URGENT subject line, contact info, and availability for conference.
Parties intending to file applications for TROs or other emergency relief must send all of their papers (in text-searchable PDF format) to the Court by email. The email should (1) include the word “URGENT” in the subject line; (2) provide a telephone number at which the party (and any other relevant parties) can be reached; and (3) provide the relevant parties’ availability for a telephone conference in the next few days. As noted above, parties should not hand-deliver any documents without advance permission.
TRO applications must be emailed with URGENT subject line, contact info, and availability for conference.
Parties intending to file applications for TROs or other emergency relief must send all of their papers (in text-searchable PDF format) to the Court by email. The email should (1) include the word “URGENT” in the subject line; (2) provide a telephone number at which the party (and any other relevant parties) can be reached; and (3) provide the relevant parties’ availability for a telephone conference in the next few days. As noted above, parties should not hand-deliver any documents without advance permission.