INDIVIDUAL RULES OF PRACTICE - IN CIVIL CASES - Revised: November 27, 2024 - Gregory H. Woods

Sep 16, 2026

Individual Rules of Practice govern civil matters before Judge Gregory H. Woods in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, unless a pilot program or plan procedure is inconsistent. The rules specify required communication methods with Chambers, including filing letters electronically on ECF, limits on letter length, guidance on telephone, faxes, hand deliveries, adjournment requests, and proposed orders and stipulations. They also address conference attendance, appearance sheets, and related-case docketing obligations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Individual Rules of Practice in Civil Cases

Communications with Chambers

Letters

Telephone Calls

Faxes

Hand Deliveries

Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time

Proposed Orders and Stipulations

Urgent Communications

Related Cases

Conferences

Attendance by Principal Trial Counsel

Appearance Sheets

Revised: November 27, 2024 INDIVIDUAL RULES OF PRACTICE IN CIVIL CASES Gregory H. Woods, United States District Judge Chambers Courtroom United States District Court 500 Pearl Street, Courtroom 12C Southern District of New York Courtroom Deputy, Valerie Adolphe Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse (212) 805-4233 500 Pearl Street, Room 2260 New York, NY 10007 (212) 805-0296 [WoodsNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov](WoodsNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov) Unless otherwise ordered, these Individual Practices apply to all civil matters before Judge Woods. In cases designated to be part of one of the Court’s pilot programs or plans (e.g., Local Rule 83.10, or the Initial Discovery Protocols for Employment Cases Alleging Adverse Action), those procedures shall govern to the extent that they are inconsistent with these Individual Practices. 1. Communications with Chambers A. Letters. Except as otherwise provided below, communications with the Court must be by letter. Unless there is a request to file a letter under seal or a letter contains sensitive or confidential information (see Rule 4(A), below), letters must be filed electronically on ECF. Parties should not submit courtesy copies of letters filed on ECF. Copies of correspondence between counsel must not be filed on ECF or otherwise sent to the Court (except as exhibits to an otherwise properly filed document) . Absent a request to file a letter under seal, the parties should assume that any substantive letter will be docketed by the Court. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, letters must not exceed 3 pages, excluding any exhibits. In all correspondence involving a request, the requesting party must indicate whether the adversary consents to the request. B. Telephone Calls. Parties should avoid calling Chambers unless an urgent matter requires immediate attention. Because of the limitations on exparte communications with parties, phone calls are often not an efficient way to communicate with Chambers. The Court encourages parties to communicate with the Court by letter. However, if an urgent matter requiring immediate attention should arise, Chambers can be reached at (212) 805-0296. For docketing-related issues, please consider calling the ECF help desk at (212) 805- 0800. C. Faxes. Faxes to Chambers are not permitted except with prior approval. D. Hand Deliveries. Hand-delivered materials should be left with the Court Security Officers at the Worth Street entrance of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States District Courthouse at 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 and may not be brought directly to Chambers. Hand deliveries are retrieved regularly from the Worth Street entrance by Courthouse mail staff and then forwarded to Chambers. If the hand-delivered materials are urgent and require the Court’s immediate attention, ask the Court Security Officers to notify Chambers that an urgent package has arrived that needs to be retrieved by Chambers staff immediately. E. Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time. All requests for adjournments or extensions of time must be made by letter and must state: (1) the original due date; (2) the number of previous requests for adjournment or extension of time; (3) the reason for the current request; (4) whether the adversary consents and, if not, the reason given by the adversary for refusing to consent; and (5) proposed alternative dates. If the requested adjournment or extension affects any other scheduled dates, a proposed Revised Civil Case Management Plan and Scheduling Order must be submitted as an attachment to the request. Absent an emergency, the request must be made at least two business days prior to the original due date. F. Proposed Orders and Stipulations. In accordance with Rules 13.18 and 13.19 of the SDNY ECF Rules and Instructions, parties should file substantially all proposed orders and stipulations on ECF. Courtesy copies should not be sent to Chambers. Except as

FAQs

How must parties communicate with Chambers in civil matters before Judge Woods?

Unless otherwise ordered, communications must be by letter, filed electronically on ECF. Letters under seal or containing sensitive/confidential information follow the applicable exceptions and requirements.

What are the limits for letters filed with the Court?

Substantive letters must not exceed 3 pages, excluding any exhibits, unless the Court orders otherwise. Requests must also indicate whether the adversary consents to the request.

How should urgent or time-sensitive materials be handled?

Materials filed via ECF are generally reviewed the next business day. If immediate attention is required after filing, Chambers should be notified by telephone following the ECF submission.

Sep 16, 2026

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