judge console · S.D.N.Y.
S.D.N.Y. · Judge Crotty · Practice Guide

Hon. Paul A. Crotty

All local rules for S.D.N.Y., integrated with this judge's published requirements.

Before You File
Ex parte applications
🏛 S.D.N.Y. local rule

Affidavit with good and specific reasons required; state if prior application made. Local Civil Rule 6.1(d) ↗

Contacting chambers
👤 Judge Crotty — standing order

Rule #1.A: A. Letters Except as otherwise provided below, ALL communications with Chambers shall be by letter. Letters shall be filed on ECF in accordance with Section 13.1 of the ECF Rules & Procedures. A hard copy of any letter filed on ECF shall also be mailed to Chambers. Any letter to the Court must not exceed 3 pages in length. This does not include any exhibits that may be attached to a letter. All letters must comply with SDNY Local Rule 11.1(b): “The typeface, margins, and spacing of all documents presented for filing must meet the following requirements: (1) all text must be 12-point type or larger, except for text in footnotes which may be 10-point type; (2) all documents must have at least one-inch margins on all sides; (3) all text must be double-spaced, except for headings, text in footnotes, or block quotations, which may be single-spaced.”

Drafting the Motion
Length limits — motion, opposition, reply
🏛 S.D.N.Y. local rule
Motion

Memoranda of law in support of or in opposition to a motion limited to 25 pages; reply memoranda limited to 10 pages S.D.N.Y. L.R. 7.1(b) ↗

Opposition

8,750 words maximum for opposition brief. Local Civil Rule 7.1(c) ↗

Reply

3,500 words maximum for reply brief. Local Civil Rule 7.1(c) ↗

Filing & Scheduling
Briefing schedule & hearing date
🏛 S.D.N.Y. local rule
Notice period

Opposition due 14 days after service; reply due 7 days after opposition. Local Civil Rule 6.1(b) ↗

Hearing days

Silent on fixed motion hearing days. The joint local rules establish no motion-day calendar. LCR 7.1 governs motion practice (content, formatting, and briefing deadlines) but sets no court hearing dates; any hearing is scheduled at each judge's discretion per their individual practices. Local Civil Rule 7.1 ↗

Proposed orders
🏛 S.D.N.Y. local rule

Proposed orders, judgments, and decrees must be presented as directed by the ECF rules published on the website of each respective court. Local Civil Rule 77.1 ↗

Filing under seal
👤 Judge Crotty — standing order

§7.A: Sealing/Redaction Requiring Court Approval Motions or Letter Motions for approval of sealed or redacted filings in civil and miscellaneous cases and the subject documents, including the proposed sealed document(s), must be filed electronically through the court’s ECF system in conformity with the court’s standing order, 19-mc-00583, and ECF Rules & Instructions, section 6. The motion must be filed in public view, must explain the reasons for seeking to file that information under seal and should not include confidential information sought to be filed under seal. Supporting papers must be separately filed electronically and may be filed under seal or redacted only to the extent necessary to safeguard information sought to be filed under seal. The proposed sealed document must be contemporaneously filed under seal in the ECF system and electronically related to the motion. The summary docket text, but not the sealed document, will be open to public inspection and should not include confidential information sought to be filed under seal. Where the motion seeks approval to redact information from a document that is to be publicly filed, the filing party shall: (a) publicly file the document with the proposed redactions, and (b) electronically file under seal a copy of the unredacted document with the proposed redactions highlighted. Both documents must be electronically filed through the ECF system and related to the motion The proposed sealed/redacted document, a copy of the motion to seal and any supporting papers must be contemporaneously submitted to the Court in paper form, by hand delivery or mail. Digital copies of these documents must also be emailed to chambers (outside the ECF system) at David_C_Gonzalez@nysd.uscourts.gov. Rule #8 Trial / Hearing Procedures A. Exhibits 1. All Exhibits are to be pre-marked. Plaintiff/Government shall mark the exhibits as numbers and Defendant shall use letters. Ideally, all should be marked before trial, but in all cases, exhibits must be marked no later than the morning of the session of the trial at which they are to be used. No trial time shall be taken for this purpose.

The Hearing
Oral argument
🏛 S.D.N.Y. local rule

Motions are decided on submission unless the court schedules oral argument; contact chambers to request oral argument S.D.N.Y. L.R. 7.1(b) ↗

Discovery
Discovery referral procedure
🏛 S.D.N.Y. local rule

Must first request informal conference by letter before filing discovery motion. Local Civil Rule 37.2 ↗

Discovery dispute procedure
👤 Judge Crotty — standing order

§3.C: Discovery Motions Discovery disputes arising under Rules 26 through 37 or Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall be heard only if the moving party has first conferred in good faith by telephone or in person with all other relevant parties in an effort to resolve the dispute. If this conference has not resolved the issue(s) raised, the moving party must inform the relevant parties during the conference that the moving party intends to seek relief from the Court on such issue(s). The moving party must thereafter promptly request a conference with the Court. To request a conference with the Court, the moving party shall file a letter, not to exceed three (3) pages in length and in compliance with Local Rule 11.1(b), setting forth the basis of the discovery dispute and the need for the anticipated motion. The letter must certify that the required in-person or telephonic conference took place between counsel and the relevant parties. The letter must also state the date of such conference and provide the adversary’s position as to each issue being raised (as stated by the adversary during the in-person or telephonic conference). These requirements are not satisfied by attaching copies of correspondence between 3 counsel. The party opposing the requested relief should file a letter within three (3) business days (also not to exceed three (3) pages in length). The letters should be filed in accordance with Section 13.1 of the ECF Rules.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Crotty — deviations that burn people
  • 2020 rules -- old-style: hard copy of every ECF letter must ALSO be mailed to Chambers (unusual). Faxes permitted (unusual). 25-page limit (page-based, not word count). Two hard courtesy copies required at time of service. Court contacts parties about oral argument after full briefing -- no request mechanism. Court will NOT advise by telephone or mail of rulings.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment