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S.D.N.Y. · Judge Ricardo · Practice Guide

Hon. Henry J. Ricardo

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) ↗

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 Ricardo — standing order

F. Searchable Format. All motion papers, letter-motions, and letters filed on ECF or emailed to Chambers must be in searchable PDF form. Typically, this means that a document created using word-processing software must be printed to or converted to PDF from the original word-processing file. PDF images may not be created by scanning paper documents.

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 Ricardo — standing order

II. Motions. A. Letter-Motions. Letter-motions filed via ECF must comply with the S.D.N.Y. Local Rules and the S.D.N.Y. “ECF Rules and Instructions.” In particular, all requests for adjournments and extensions (as discussed in Rule I(F) and I(G), supra), and pre- motion conferences (including pre-motion conferences with respect to discovery disputes) (as discussed in Rule II(B), infra), should be filed as letter-motions.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Ricardo — deviations that burn people
  • Letters capped at 4 pages. All correspondence including discovery dispute letters must stay within this limit.
  • Pre-motion letter or conference required before filing most motions. Filing without the required pre-motion step will likely result in the motion being returned.
  • All adjournment and extension requests must be filed on ECF as letter-motions, not as ordinary letters or proposed stipulations.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment