Court Rules
senior Judge
Verified Current9 days ago

Judge Kimba M. Wood

Southern District of New York

Adjournments

Notice Required
0Calendar Days

Must Include

  • 1
    Reason For Request
  • 2
    Proposed New Dates
  • 3
    Affects Other Dates
  • 4
    Emergency Nature

Communication

Side Bar

Chambers

Emergencies
No Status Inquiries
Verbal

Chambers

ArgumentTestimony
Clarification Required
No Speaking Pace, Overlapping Speech Prohibited, Clarification Scope
Letter Ecf

Chambers

SchedulingTechnical Issues
Advance Notice Required
No Status Inquiries
Email

Chambers

Technical IssuesSchedulingEmergencies
Advance Notice Required
No Hours
Phone

Chambers

No Hours, Status Inquiries
Phone

Chambers

(888) 363-4749
Scheduling
Letter Fax

Chambers

No Status Inquiries
Hand Delivery

Chambers

No Status Inquiries
Email

Chambers

Court email
Emergencies
No Status Inquiries
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantFormattingCommunicationConferencesElectronicsTRO/InjunctionLettersEvidence/WitnessesCourtroom Conduct

Detailed Drafting Rules

Communication ProtocolImportant

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

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Document RequirementMandatory

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

Content & Formatting
Witness List
Unusual Spelling List
Page 3
|SecCourt Reporter
Communication ProtocolImportant

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

Approved Topics
ArgumentTestimony
Prohibited
  • Speaking Pace
    moderate
  • Overlapping Speech Prohibited
Page 3
|SecCourt Reporter
Communication ProtocolImportant

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

Approved Topics
Testimony
Requirements
  • Clarification Required
Prohibited
  • Clarification Scope
    distances_and_objects
Page 4
|SecCourt Reporter
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    before trial date is set
Page 2
|SecReady Trial Date
Communication ProtocolNote

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

Approved Topics
SchedulingStatus Inquiries
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 3
|SecFinal Pretrial Conference
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
SchedulingStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 3
|SecCommunications to the Court
Communication ProtocolNote

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.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Technical Issues
Page 3
|SecIndividual Rules and Trial Procedures
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Page 4
|SecScheduling Order
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Prohibited
  • Hours
    Unless otherwise ordered by the Court
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    one week before scheduled appearance
Communication ProtocolNote

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.

Phone

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    at least twenty-four hours before scheduled teleconference
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
Scheduling
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Communication ProtocolImportant

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

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Emergencies
Prohibited
  • Hours
    None specified
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Faxes are not permitted for any purposes.

Letter Fax

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Format RequirementMandatory

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.

Applies When:Motion Type Set Undefined
Required Format

PDF

Page 3
|SecApplications for Temporary Restraining Orders (“TROs”)
Communication ProtocolMandatory

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.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Emergencies
Prohibited
  • Status Inquiries
Page 3
|SecApplications for Temporary Restraining Orders (“TROs”)