**Senior Judge Barbara J. Rothstein** was appointed to the Western District of Washington in 1980 and served as Chief Judge from 1987 to 1994. Before her federal appointment, Judge Rothstein served on the King County Superior Court bench, practiced law in Boston, Massachusetts, and worked with the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division of Washington State's Attorney General's office. She was appointed Director of the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, D.C. in 2003. She has also taught trial practice at the University of Washington Law School and maintains active membership in professional organizations including the American Law Institute and the National Association of Women Judges. **Education** - Harvard Law School, J.D. - Cornell University, B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa) **Career** - Senior U.S. District Judge, Western District of Washington (1980–present) - Chief Judge, Western District of Washington (1987–1994) - Director, Federal Judicial Center, Washington, D.C. (2003) - Judge, King County Superior Court - Private law practice, Boston, Massachusetts - Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division, Washington State Attorney General's Office - Trial practice instructor, University of Washington Law School
**Division:** Seattle **Courthouse:** United States Courthouse, 700 Stewart Street, Suite 8230, Seattle, WA 98101-9906 **Courtroom:** Suite 16106 **Phone:** (202) 354-3330 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: (206) 370-8524 - Case Administrator: (206) 370-8457
The rule limits courtesy-copy delivery rather than stating a blanket requirement before Judge Barbara J. Rothstein. The court does not accept physical courtesy copies of any filings, including sealed documents.
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's rules set a pre-motion procedure for rule 12. Parties must meet and confer before filing a Rule 12(b) motion to dismiss, and the motion must include a certification of conferral.
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's rule states these limits: 15 pages; 15 pages; 15 pages; 10 pages. Motions, oppositions, and objections are limited to 15 pages; replies to 10 pages; sur-replies require leave of court.
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's rule states these limits: 24 pages; 12 pages. Excludes certificates. Summary judgment motions and oppositions are limited to 24 pages, replies to 12 pages, and sur-replies require leave of Court.
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's formatting rule includes times new roman font, 12 point type, double spacing, margins top 1 inches, bottom 1 inches, left 1 inches, right 1 inches, page numbers required, and footnotes may be single-spaced. All filings must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman, with page numbers and at least 1-inch margins; footnotes may be single-spaced.
The rule requires certificate of conference. Motions (except dispositive) must include a certification of conferral, with at least 3 business days between conferral attempts and filing.
The rule requires certificate of conference. Discovery motions require compliance with Rule 37(a)(1) before filing.
Parties may contact Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's chambers by phone only as allowed by the rule. Counsel must be within 20 minutes of courthouse during jury deliberations.
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's rules set procedures for sealed or redacted filings. Process: file redacted on ecf. Avoid eliciting personal identifiers from witnesses; redaction available if inadvertently disclosed
Requests should be made at least 3 business days in advance when this rule applies before Judge Barbara J. Rothstein. The request must include reason for request. Motions for extension of time must be filed at least 3 business days before the deadline, with oppositions due within 2 business days, or risk summary denial.
The rule addresses filing timing, filing status, or cure windows. Oppositions are due 21 days after a motion is filed; replies are due 14 days after an opposition is filed.
Yes. Judge Barbara J. Rothstein's rules include a junior lawyer participation incentive. Each side limited to 20 minutes for oral argument plus 5 minutes for rebuttal.
Parties must avoid ex parte contact with chambers and must include all parties on any communication.
Motions must be a single document without a table of cases or authorities.
Administrative records must be filed electronically; no physical copies accepted.
Motions, oppositions, and objections are limited to 15 pages; replies to 10 pages; sur-replies require leave of court.
Page limit extensions are granted only for extraordinary complexity.
Oppositions are due 21 days after a motion is filed; replies are due 14 days after an opposition is filed.
All filings must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman, with page numbers and at least 1-inch margins; footnotes may be single-spaced.
The court does not accept physical courtesy copies of any filings, including sealed documents.
Contact courtroom deputy Natalie Wood via email for instructions on filing audio or video exhibits.
Motions (except dispositive) must include a certification of conferral, with at least 3 business days between conferral attempts and filing.
Parties must wait at least 3 business days after conferral attempts before filing a motion.
Motions for extension of time must be filed at least 3 business days before the deadline, with oppositions due within 2 business days, or risk summary denial.
Motions to reschedule hearings must be filed at least 5 business days before the hearing and include alternative dates and times for all parties.
Parties must meet and confer before filing a Rule 12(b) motion to dismiss, and the motion must include a certification of conferral.
Summary judgment motions and oppositions are limited to 24 pages, replies to 12 pages, and sur-replies require leave of Court.
Parties must meaningfully confer under Rule 37(a)(1) and arrange a court conference before filing any opposed discovery motion.
Parties must email a Word version of proposed orders for all motions and stipulations to Rothsteinorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.
Counsel must send a joint email to Rothstein_Chambers@dcd.uscourts.gov with a one-paragraph dispute description and three available date/time ranges for a discovery conference.
Opposed discovery motions must include a verbatim recitation of the discovery request and objection at issue, or attach a copy.
The Court may resolve motions on the briefs without oral argument; if argument is held, each side gets 20 minutes plus 5 minutes for rebuttal.
The Court will not hold a Rule 16(b) Initial Status Conference absent specific circumstances; instead, the parties must file a combined Joint Status Report and Discovery Plan under FRCP 26(f) and Local Civil Rule 26(f), after which the Court will issue a Scheduling Order.
If a case settles in whole or in part, the parties must promptly file a notice of settlement and advise the Court how much time they need to file dismissal papers.
Motions limited to 15 pages, oppositions to 15 pages, replies to 10 pages, no tables allowed, sur-replies require leave.
Replies limited to 10 pages.
Sur-replies require leave of court.
Page limit extensions granted only for extraordinary complexity.
Frequent or protracted bench conferences are discouraged
Oppositions due 21 days after motion, replies due 14 days after opposition.
Double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, page numbers required.
No courtesy copies accepted.