Local Rule 5.1: FORM AND FILING OF PLEADINGS
D. Mass. — Civil rule
RULE 5.1 FORM AND FILING OF PLEADINGS
(a) Form and Signing of Papers.
(1) The provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 10 and 11 concerning the form and signing of pleadings, motions, and other documents shall be applicable to all documents filed in any proceeding in this court. The board of bar overseers registration number of each attorney signing such documents, except the United States Attorney and his or her staff, shall be inscribed below the signature.
(2) All documents filed in the court shall be adapted for flat filing, be filed in 8 ½" x 11" printable format. All documents, except discovery requests and responses, shall be double-spaced except for the identification of counsel, title of the case, footnotes, quotations and exhibits. Discovery requests and responses shall be single-spaced. Except for complaints and notices of appeal, documents that do not conform to the requirements of this subsection shall be returned by the clerk.
(b) Time and Place of Filing. Except as noted in Fed. R. Civ. P. 33-36, all documents required to be served under Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d) shall, unless otherwise submitted to the court, be electronically filed with the office of the clerk within 7 days after service has been made.
(c) Requests for Special Action. When any pleading or other document filed in the court includes a request for special process or relief, or any other request such that, if granted, the court will proceed other than in the ordinary course, the request shall, unless it is noted on the category sheet (see L.R. 40.1(a)(1)), be noted on the first page to the right of or immediately beneath the caption.
(d) Additional Copies. Whenever, because of the nature of a proceeding, such as a proceeding before a three-judge district court under 28 U.S.C. § 2284, additional courtesy copies necessary either for the use of the court or to enable the clerk to carry out his or her duties, it is the responsibility of the party filing or having filed the document to provide the necessary copies.
Effective September 1, 1990; amended effective December 1, 2009. Amended effective November 1, 2019