Southern District of New York Local Rules and Judge Filing Requirements
Filing requirements from local rules, individual practices, standing orders, and published court policies for Southern District of New York
Federal court local rules are only the first layer. These filing requirements come from individual judges' practices, standing orders, and policies published by the Southern District of New York. They supplement the district local rules and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Requirements vary significantly between judges in the same district, so always verify the specific rules for your assigned judge.
- Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo
Use Westlaw citations for unreported cases when possible.
- Judge J. Paul Oetken
For TRO applications with notice, file papers simultaneously on ECF.
- Judge Nelson S. Roman
Proposed orders must be submitted as attachments to formal applications.
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Order to show cause applications must include written explanation with authority why ordinary motion practice is unavailable.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Amended filings must include redlines showing changes.
- Judge J. Paul Oetken
Requests to charge and voir dire must be emailed to chambers as Word docs
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Large files require special email protocol to chambers.
- Senior Judge Paul Crotty
All communications with chambers must be by letter (max 3 pages, ECF filing required with hard copy mailed).
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Emergency communications allowed with chambers
- Judge Katherine Polk Failla
AUSA must email Chambers immediately after case assignment with specific defendant and scheduling information.
- Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo
Court permission required to file documents under seal.
- Judge J. Paul Oetken
For ex parte TRO applications, file under seal on ECF or email to Chambers, then call Chambers.
- Judge Edgardo Ramos
Supporting papers may be filed under seal or redacted only as necessary to protect confidential information.
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Certain sensitive information must be redacted without court approval under FRCP 5.2.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Procedure for filing documents with redactions requires three steps
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Adjournment/extension requests must be made by letter at least 48 hours before the scheduled date.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Adjournment/extension requests must be filed as letter-motions on ECF with specific required elements and advance notice.
- Senior Judge Paul Crotty
Adjournment/extension requests must include original dates, previous requests, adversary consent, and 3 alternate dates if consented.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Adjournment/extension requests must be made in advance
- Judge Katherine Polk Failla
Adjournment/extension requests must be letter motions with specific required elements.
- Judge J. Paul Oetken
Extensions and adjournments must be requested via letter-motion, not proposed stipulations or orders.
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Pre-motion conference required before any motion except FRAP 4(a)(4)(A) motions and pro hac vice motions.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Pre-motion letters/conferences not required except for discovery disputes
- Senior Judge Paul Crotty
Pre-motion conference required before any motion except specified exceptions.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Pre-motion conference required before filing motions
- Judge Edgardo Ramos
One courtesy copy required for all motions except pro hac vice and letter-motions.
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Courtesy copies of pleadings (including Rule 7.1 statements) must be submitted to Chambers as soon as possible after filing.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
No courtesy copies required for any submissions unless court orders otherwise.
- Senior Judge Paul Crotty
One courtesy copy of pleadings must be submitted to chambers as soon as practical after filing.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Courtesy copies required for motions
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Memoranda of law (support/opposition) limited to 25 pages, reply memoranda to 10 pages, all double-spaced.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Letters to chambers limited to 1,050 words without permission.
- Senior Judge Paul Crotty
Letters to court must not exceed 3 pages (excluding exhibits) and must comply with Local Rule 11.1(b) formatting.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Memoranda of law limited to 25 pages (support/opposition) and 10 pages (reply), except reconsideration motions.
- Judge Loretta A. Preska
Pro se pre-motion letters limited to 3 pages (moving/non-moving) and 2 pages (reply) if handwritten/typewritten.
- Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo
All moving papers, letter-motions, and letters must be in searchable PDF format.
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Memoranda must use double spacing, one-inch margins, 12-point font for text and footnotes (footnotes may be single-spaced).
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Large files require email request for transfer link with case details.
- Senior Judge Paul Crotty
Trial schedule: Mon-Fri 9:30 AM-4:30 PM with morning counsel meeting, lunch recess, and breaks.
- Judge Loretta A. Preska
Letters must be in at least 14-point type.
- Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke
Court encourages junior attorney participation in cases where they substantially contributed to filings or witness preparation
- Judge Loretta A. Preska
Court encourages junior lawyers to argue and may allow multiple lawyers to argue
- Judge Jesse M. Furman
Advise Court by letter if junior attorney will handle oral argument.
- Judge J. Paul Oetken
Junior attorneys encouraged to participate in proceedings
- Judge Edgardo Ramos
Court encourages junior lawyer participation and allows multiple attorneys to argue.
- Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy
Represented parties must file the amended or supplemental pleading within seven days of the order granting a Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2) or (d) motion.
- Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave
Initial interrogatories must be served on or before a specified date.
- Judge Arun Subramanian
Privilege logs must be promptly produced and updated on a rolling basis as documents are produced.
- Judge Paul Engelmayer
Parties must file proposed case management plan and joint letter on ECF 4 business days before initial conference.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Date and hour calculations use FRCP 6 for civil matters and FRCP 45 for criminal matters.
- Judge Nelson S. Roman
Motion papers must be filed via ECF promptly after reply papers are served.
- Senior Judge Richard M. Berman
Motion papers must be filed promptly after service.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Motion papers must be filed promptly after service; do not hold until all submissions are complete.
- Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein
Motion papers must be filed promptly after service.
- Judge Denise L. Cote
Motion papers must be filed promptly after service.
- Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy
Attorneys for DOJ or Federal Defenders of NY must request e-filing privileges via PACER.
- Judge Arun Subramanian
All attorneys appearing before the Court must file a notice of appearance on ECF.
- Judge Paul Engelmayer
Letters to the Court must be filed electronically via the ECF system.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Pro se litigants must submit all hard-copy filings to the Pro Se Intake Unit, not to Chambers.
- Senior Judge Vincent L Briccetti
Informational letters not requesting relief must be filed using the ECF Filing Event LETTER under OTHER DOCUMENTS.
- Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy
For motions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 26-37 and 45(d)(3), opposing papers must be served within 7 days of moving papers service, replies within 2 days of answering papers service; compute days per Fed. R. Civ. P. 6.
- Judge Paul Engelmayer
Moving parties must serve Rule 56.1 Statements electronically in Microsoft Word format to all other parties.
- Judge Arun Subramanian
Non-moving parties electing to amend under Rule 15(a)(1) after motion to dismiss must notify court and adversary within 10 days of motion receipt with intended filing date.
- Senior Judge Colleen McMahon
Default judgment motions must be served on the defendant in the same manner as a summons (same as service of process).
- Senior Judge Vincent L Briccetti
Moving parties in summary judgment cases with all counsel must provide electronic word-processing copy of Statement of Material Facts to other parties.