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

Hon. Jennifer L. Rochon

Verified 2026-06-25verify at the court's site ↗

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 Rochon — standing order

inconsistent with these Individual Practices. 1. Communications with Chambers A. Letters and Letter Motions. Except as otherwise provided below, communications with the Court must be by letter. Letters must be filed electronically on the Electronic Case Filing system (“ECF”). Letters seeking relief (if consistent with the SDNY Local Rules and the SDNY ECF Rules and Instructions) should be filed on ECF as letter motions, not as ordinary letters. Letters may not exceed three pages in length (exclusive of exhibits or attachments) without prior permission from the Court. Parties should not submit courtesy copies of letters filed on ECF. 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). Letters to be filed under seal or containing sensitive or confidential information must be filed on ECF in conformity with the Court’s Standing Order, 19-MC-00583, and ECF Rules & Instructions, Section

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 Rochon — standing order

A. Cases Removed from State Court. Counsel for the party or parties that removed the case must follow 28 U.S.C. § 1446(a) and file a copy of the state court docket sheet within three calendar days of filing the notice of removal. Counsel for all parties must file on ECF a notice of appearance in this Court promptly upon removal.

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 Rochon — standing order

C. Participation by Junior Attorneys. The Court encourages the participation of less experienced attorneys in all proceedings – including pretrial conferences, hearings on discovery disputes, oral arguments, and examinations of witnesses at trial – particularly where the attorneys played a substantial role in drafting the underlying filing or in preparing the relevant witness. The Court is amenable to permitting more than one attorney to argue for one party if this creates an opportunity for a junior attorney to participate. All attorneys appearing before the Court must have authority to bind the party that they represent consistent with the proceedings (for example, by agreeing to a discovery resolution or briefing schedule).

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Rochon — deviations that burn people
  • he scope of the direct on cross-examination), and counsel should confer with respect to scheduling; xi. A designation by each party of deposition testimony to be offered in its case in chief and any counter-designations and objections by any other party. In addition to a designation list, the parties must provide the complete deposition transcript with color-coded highlighting indicating the portions designated by either party and the objections listed in the margins; xii. A list by each party of exhibits to be offered in its case in chief, with one asterisk indicating an exhibit to which a party objects on the grounds of authenticity and two asterisks indicating an exhibit to which a party objects to the admissibility of the exhibit. If a party objects to an exhibit, the objection should be noted by indicating the grounds for the objection, with citations to the Federal Rule of Evidence and any other authority. Objections not made will be waived. If any party believes that the Court should rule on the objection in advance of trial, that party should include a notation to that effect (e.g., “Advance Ruling Requested”) as well. In most cases, the Court will rule on relevance and authenticity objections at the time of trial; xiii. A statement of the damages claimed and any other relief sought, including the manner and method used to calculate any claimed damages and a breakdown of the elements of such claimed damages; xiv. A statement of whether the parties consent to less than a unanimous verdict; and xv. A statement confirming that the parties have submitted all pretrial submissions and courtesy copies required herein.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment