Judge Robert W. Lehrburger
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Filings
Not Required
Trial Exhibit Binders
Required • Binding: Tabbed Three Ring
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Proposed New Dates
- 3Adversary Position
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
Must Include
- 1Original Date
- 2Number Of Previous Requests
- 3Previous Requests Granted Or Denied
- 4Adversary Position
- 5Proposed Rescheduled Date
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Adversary Position
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Letter Ecf
Chambers
Letter Ecf
Intake Unit
Phone
Chambers
Detailed Drafting Rules
The completed electronic device form must be emailed to chambers; chambers then routes the authorization to the District Executive's Office and court security.
The completed form should be emailed to chambers at the address above, and Chambers will then send the order to the District Executive's Office, which will be transmitted to court security.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredEmail completed Fillable Form for Electronic Devices General Purpose to chambers; chambers routes to District Executive's Office for transmission to court security
The pre-settlement conference letter is limited to 5 single-spaced pages, excluding exhibits, unless the Court grants permission for more.
The letter must not exceed 5 pages (single spaced), unless permission has been granted by the Court, but may attach exhibits.
Settlement conferences are held via Microsoft Teams by default; parties may request in-person and the Court may order in-person sua sponte.
The Court holds many of its settlement conference via Microsoft Teams. This enables parties to more freely participate and avoid unnecessary travel. However, parties may request to hold settlement conferences in person at the courthouse, and the Court may do so sua sponte if it believes doing so would be beneficial.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredDefault is Microsoft Teams; in-person available on request or Court order
Participants living more than 100 miles from the courthouse may request remote participation in writing; such permission is the exception, not the rule, and must be raised as early as possible.
For in person conferences at the courthouse, if a participant resides more than 100 miles from the courthouse and would incur great hardship to attend in person, counsel may write to the Court seeking permission for that individual to participate remotely (although permission will be the exception, not the rule). This issue should be raised with the Court in writing as soon as possible.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredWritten request required; must be raised as soon as possible; granted only in exceptional cases for participants 100+ miles from courthouse
If the case settles before the scheduled conference, parties should file a letter-motion on ECF requesting adjournment sine die.
If all parties advise the Court in writing that the case has settled prior to the scheduled conference, the Court ordinarily will adjourn the conference with no future designated date. In these circumstances, the parties should file a letter-motion on ECF requesting an adjournment of the settlement conference sine die.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredFile letter-motion on ECF requesting adjournment sine die if case settles before conference
All letters to the Court must be filed on ECF; no email or other copies to chambers unless an exception applies.
In general, communications with the Court should be by letter. Except as provided below, all letters should be filed electronically on ECF (i.e., Electronic Case Filing), without email or other copy to Chambers.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Sealed, ex parte settlement, and other confidential letters must be emailed to chambers as PDF attachments rather than filed on ECF.
The following types of letters should be emailed to Chambers as a .pdf attachment: Letters filed by counsel under seal; Ex parte settlement letters; Letters otherwise containing confidential information.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredMust be sent as .pdf attachment
Pro se parties must direct all communications to the Pro Se Intake Unit — never directly to chambers.
By Standing Order, a pro se party must mail or email all communications with the Court to the Pro Se Intake Unit located at 500 Pearl Street, Room 200, New York, NY 10007, ProSe@nysd.uscourts.gov. A pro se party may not call Chambers or send any document or filing directly to Chambers.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Intake Unit
- Advance Notice RequiredAll communications must go to Pro Se Intake Unit at 500 Pearl Street, Room 200
- Status Inquiries
All letters to the Court are limited to 3 single-spaced pages, excluding exhibits.
Letters may not exceed 3 single-space pages in length (exclusive of exhibits).
Party-to-party letters not addressed to the Court may not be filed on ECF or sent to the Court.
Letters solely between parties or their counsel or otherwise not addressed to the Court may not be filed on ECF or otherwise sent to the Court (except as exhibits to an otherwise properly filed document).
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredParty-to-party letters may not be filed with the Court at all
- Status Inquiries
Hand deliveries must go to Court Security Officers at the Worth Street entrance, not directly to chambers; if urgent, ask officers to notify chambers.
Hand-delivered mail should be left with the Court Security Officers at the Worth Street entrance of 500 Pearl Street and may not be brought directly to Chambers. If the hand-delivered letter is urgent and requires immediate attention, ask the Court Security Officers to notify Chambers that an urgent package has arrived.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Clerk
- Advance Notice RequiredLeave with Court Security Officers at Worth Street entrance; do not bring directly to chambers
Chambers may be called by phone between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. only for administrative, scheduling, or calendar matters — not to seek rulings.
For administrative, scheduling, and calendar matters that do not request a ruling from the Court, Chambers may be called between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Hours9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Status Inquiries
Discovery disputes require good-faith meet and confer before a letter motion; the letter is limited to 3 single-spaced pages and must certify that meet and confer occurred.
Any party wishing to raise a discovery dispute with the Court must first meet and confer in good faith with the opposing party, in person or by telephone or video conferencing, in an effort to resolve the dispute. If this meet-and-confer process does not resolve the dispute, the party may file a letter motion with the Court or, if applicable, to the Pro Se Intake Clerk, no longer than 3 single-space pages, explaining the nature of the dispute and requesting a conference. Such letter must include a representation that the meet-and-confer process occurred, including when and whether it was in person or over the telephone.
Pre-Motion Conference
A pre-motion conference is mandatory before filing. You must submit a letter first.
Letter Requirements
All motions and moving papers must be in searchable PDF format.
All motions and moving papers filed on ECF or emailed to chambers shall be in searchable PDF form.
Letter motions are limited to 3 single-spaced pages (excluding exhibits); responses are due within 3 business days.
Letter motions are limited to 3 single-space pages (not including exhibits). Any responsive letter should be submitted within 3 business days following submission of the letter motion.
Pre-motion conference request letters are limited to 3 single-spaced pages and must summarize the motion basis; each opposing party has 3 business days to respond with up to 3 pages.
Letters requesting a pre-motion conference should summarize the basis of the motion and may not exceed 3 pages single-spaced. Within 3 business days following submission of the requesting letter, each opposing party may submit a written response of no more than 3 pages.
Pre-Motion Conference
A pre-motion conference is mandatory before filing. You must submit a letter first.
Letter Requirements
Motion papers must comply with SDNY Local Civil Rule 7.1 for typeface, text size, margins, line-spacing, and word-count limits, and must include the required word-count certification.
The typeface, text size, margins, and line-spacing of motion papers must conform to S.D.N.Y. Local Civil Rule 7.1. As to length, parties must also adhere to the word-count limits of Local Civil Rule 7.1 and include the required certification.
Memoranda of 10 or more pages must include a table of contents and a table of authorities; neither counts against length limits.
Memoranda of 10 or more pages must contain a table of contents and a table of authorities, neither of which shall count against the limits on length.
Document Type
Brief
Oral argument requests must be made by letter; the Court retains full discretion whether to grant them and may schedule oral argument sua sponte.
Requests for oral argument of motions should be made by letter. Whether oral argument will be held remains in the Court's discretion. In some instances, the Court may hold oral argument even if the parties have not requested it.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredRequest by letter; Court retains full discretion
Jury materials (voir dire, charge requests, verdict sheets) must also be submitted as Word documents via email to chambers in addition to ECF filing.
In addition to ECF-filing voir dire questions, requests to charge, and verdict sheets, electronic copies must also be submitted as Microsoft Word documents and sent by email to: Lehrburger_NYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredSubmit as Microsoft Word documents in addition to ECF filing
Non-jury trial materials (trial memorandum, proposed findings/conclusions) must also be emailed to chambers as Word documents.
In addition to ECF-filing, these materials should also be submitted as Microsoft Word documents and sent via email to: Lehrburger_NYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice RequiredSubmit as Microsoft Word documents in addition to ECF filing (non-jury cases)
Electronic devices are prohibited during court proceedings and must be stored with court security.
Pursuant to Standing Order M10-468, electronic devices such as cellphones, laptops, and tablets are not permitted during proceedings before this Court. Electronic devices are typically stored with court security before attorneys may proceed into the courthouse.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required24 hours
- Hours9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Status Inquiries
Completed electronic device request forms must be emailed to chambers, which will forward to District Executive's Office and court security.
The completed form should be emailed to chambers at the address above, and Chambers will then send the order to the District Executive’s Office, which will be transmitted to court security.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Required24 hours
- Hours9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Status Inquiries