US · rules
S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1
Motions, General
(a) Filing.
(1) Every motion when filed and served shall incorporate a memorandum of law citing
supporting authorities, except that the following motions need not incorporate a
memorandum:
(A) petition for writ of habeas corpus ad testificandum or ad prosequendum;
(B) motion for out-of-state process;
(C) motion for order of publication for process;
(D) application for default;
(E) motion for judgment upon default;
(F) motion to withdraw or substitute counsel;
(G) motion for continuance, provided the good cause supporting it is set forth
in the motion and affidavit required by Local Rule 7.6;
(H) motion for confirmation of sale;
(I) motion to withdraw or substitute exhibits;
(J) motion for extensions of time providing the good cause supporting it is set
forth in the motion;
(K) motion for refund of bond, provided the good cause supporting it is set forth
in the motion;
(L) application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis;
(M) motion for admission pro hac vice; and
(N) motion for court approval of a stipulation between any parties.
(2) Those motions listed in (a)(1) above, as well as any motion seeking emergency or
ex parte relief or a temporary restraining order, shall be accompanied by a proposed
order that is filed and served submitted via e-mail to the Court as prescribed by
Section 3I(6) of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures.
(3) Pre-filing Conferences Required of Counsel. Prior to filing any motion in a civil
case, except a motion for injunctive relief, for judgment on the pleadings, for
summary judgment, to dismiss or to permit maintenance of a class action, to dismiss
for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, for pro hac vice
admission, or to involuntarily dismiss an action, for garnishment or other relief
under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 64, or otherwise properly filed ex parte under
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and these Local Rules, or a petition to enforce
or vacate an arbitration award, counsel for the movant shall confer (orally or in
writing), or make reasonable effort to confer (orally or in writing), with all parties
or non-parties who may be affected by the relief sought in the motion in a good
faith effort to resolve by agreement the issues to be raised in the motion. Counsel
conferring with movant’s counsel shall cooperate and act in good faith in
attempting to resolve the dispute. At the end of the motion, and above the signature
block, counsel for the moving party shall certify either: (A) that counsel for the
movant has conferred with all parties or non-parties who may be affected by the
relief sought in the motion in a good faith effort to resolve the issues raised in the
motion and has been unable to do so; or (B) that counsel for the movant has made
reasonable efforts to confer with all parties or non-parties who may be affected by
the relief sought in the motion, which efforts shall be identified with specificity in
the statement (including the date, time, and manner of each effort), but has been
unable to do so. If certain of the issues have been resolved by agreement, the
certification shall specify the issues so resolved and the issues remaining
unresolved. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Local Rule may be
cause for the Court to grant or deny the motion and impose on counsel an
appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay the amount of the
reasonable expenses incurred because of the violation, including a reasonable
attorney’s fee. See forms available on the Court’s website (www.flsd.uscourts.gov).
(b) Hearings.
(1) No hearing will be held on motions unless set by the Court.
(2) A party who desires oral argument or a hearing of any motion shall request it within
the motion or opposing memorandum in a separate section titled “request for
hearing.” The request shall set forth in detail the reasons why a hearing is desired
and would be helpful to the Court and shall estimate the time required for argument.
The Court in its discretion may grant or deny a hearing as requested, upon
consideration of both the request and any response thereto by an opposing party.
(3) Discovery motions may be referred to and heard by a United States Magistrate
Judge.
(4) With respect to:
(A) any motion in a civil case or any post-conviction motion in a criminal case
that has been pending and fully briefed with no hearing set thereon for a
period of ninety (90) days, and
(B) any motion in a civil case or any post-conviction motion in a criminal case as to
which the Court has conducted a hearing but has not entered an order or
otherwise determined the motion or matter within ninety (90) days of the
hearing, the movant, whether party or non-party;
shall file and serve on all parties and any affected non-parties within
fourteen (14) days thereafter a “Notice of Ninety Days Expiring,” which
shall contain the following information:
(i) the title and docket entry number of the subject motion, along with
the dates of service and filing;
(ii) the title and docket entry number of any and all responses or
opposing memoranda, along with the dates of service and filing, or
if no such papers have been filed, the date on which such papers
were due;
(iii) the title and docket entry number of any reply memoranda, or any
other papers filed and served in connection with the motion, as well
as the dates of service and filing; and
(iv) the date of any hearing held on the motion.
(C) any motion filed in a proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §2255 is not subject
to the ninety (90) day notice provision set forth above.
(c) Memorandum of Law.
(1) Requirements and Timing. For all motions, except motions served with the
summons and complaint, each party opposing a motion shall file and serve an
opposing memorandum of law no later than fourteen (14) days after service of the
motion. Failure to do so may be deemed sufficient cause for granting the motion by
default. The movant may, within seven (7) days after service of an opposing
memorandum of law, file and serve a reply memorandum in support of the motion,
which reply memorandum shall be strictly limited to rebuttal of matters raised in
the memorandum in opposition without reargument of matters covered in the
movant’s initial memorandum of law. No further or additional memoranda of law
shall be filed and served without prior leave of Court. All materials in support of
any motion, response, or reply, including affidavits and declarations, shall be served
with the filing. For a motion served with the summons and complaint, the opposing
memorandum of law shall be due on the day the response to the complaint is due.
Time shall be computed under this Local Rule in accordance with applicable federal
rules of procedure (e.g., Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a) and Fed. R. Crim. P. 45(a)).
(2) Length. Absent prior permission of the Court, neither a motion and its incorporated
memorandum of law nor the opposing memorandum of law shall exceed twenty
(20) pages; a reply memorandum shall not exceed ten (10) pages. As long as no
substantive part of the submission appears on the same page(s), the following items
do not count toward page limitations for purposes of this rule and any other rules
or orders setting forth page limitations: title pages preceding the first page of text,
tables of contents, tables of citations, “request for hearing” sections, signature
pages, certificates of good faith conferences, and certificates of service.
(d) Emergency Motions and Expedited Motions. The Court may, upon written motion and good
cause shown, waive the time requirements of this Local Rule and grant an immediate or
expedited hearing on any matter requiring such expedited procedure. A filer may seek
expedited consideration through either an emergency motion or an expedited motion in
accordance with the following requirements:
(1) Emergency Motions. A filer requesting emergency action must include the words
“Emergency Motion” in the title of the motion and must set forth in detail the nature
of the emergency, the date by which a ruling is necessary, and the reason the ruling
is needed by the stated date. The unwarranted designation of a motion as an
emergency motion may result in sanctions. The filer must certify that the matter is
a true emergency by including the following certification before the motion’s
signature block:
After reviewing the facts and researching applicable legal principles, I certify that
this motion in fact presents a true emergency (as opposed to a matter that may need
only expedited treatment) and requires an immediate ruling because the Court
would not be able to provide meaningful relief to a critical, non-routine issue after
the expiration of seven days. I understand that an unwarranted certification may
lead to sanctions.
As prescribed by Section 10 of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures, a party
seeking to file an emergency motion must file and serve the documents
electronically via CM/ECF using the events specifically earmarked for emergency
matters. Motions are not considered emergencies if the urgency arises because of
the attorney’s or party’s own dilatory conduct. Generally, unless a motion will
become moot if not ruled on within seven (7) days, the motion should not be filed
as an emergency motion.
(2) Expedited Motions. A filer whose time-sensitive motion does not qualify as an
emergency motion but who nonetheless requires an expedited ruling by a date
certain may file an expedited motion in lieu of an emergency motion. The motion
must include the words “Expedited Motion” in the title and must set forth in detail
the date by which an expedited ruling is needed and the reason the ruling is needed
by the stated date.
In criminal cases, emergency motions and expedited motions that are also ex parte must be
conventionally filed.
A party appearing pro se must conventionally file emergency motions and expedited
motions.
(e) Applications Previously Refused. Whenever any motion or application has been made to any
Judge or Magistrate Judge and has been refused in whole or in part, or has been granted
conditionally, and a subsequent motion or application is made to a different District Judge or
Magistrate Judge for the same relief in whole or in part, upon the same or any alleged different
state of facts, it shall be the continuing duty of each party and attorney seeking such relief to
present to the District Judge or Magistrate Judge to whom the subsequent application is made
an affidavit setting forth the material facts and circumstances surrounding each prior
application, including: (1) when and to what District Judge or Magistrate Judge the application
was made; (2) what ruling was made thereon; and (3) what new or different facts and
circumstances are claimed to exist which did not exist, or were not shown, upon the prior
application. For failure to comply with the requirements of this Local Rule, any ruling made
on the subsequent application may be set aside sua sponte or on ex parte motion.
History
Effective December 1, 1994. Amended effective April 15, 1996; April 15, 1997; April 15, 2000; April 1, 2004; April 15, 2005; April 15, 2006; April 15, 2007; April 15, 2009; April 15, 2010; April 15, 2011; December 1, 2011; December 1, 2014; December 1, 2015; December 1, 2016; December 1, 2017; December 3, 2018; December 2, 2019; December 1, 2020; December 1, 2021; December 2, 2024; December 1, 2025.
Provenance
- Source
- www.flsd.uscourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-18
- Edition
- fed-district-2026-09-18
- Content hash
257445b9b49c179959d9422ae95b782e035eaa09e103e4661b870d56275065c6
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