Local Rule Local Social Security Rule 5.1: Default Form and Length for Briefs

Local Social Security Rule 5.1. Default Form and Length for Briefs

The typeface, margins, and spacing of all briefs must comply with Local Civil Rule 7.1(b). Absent leave of Court, which must be requested at least seven days in advance, the following length limitations apply to the parties' briefs: if filed by an attorney or prepared with a computer, initial and opposition briefs may not exceed 8,750 words, and a plaintiff's reply brief may not exceed 3,500 words; if filed by a party who is not represented by an attorney and handwritten or prepared with a typewriter, initial and opposition briefs may not exceed 25 pages, and a plaintiff's reply brief may not exceed 10 pages. These limits do not include the caption, any index, table of contents, table of authorities, signature blocks, or any required certificates, but do include material contained in footnotes or endnotes. If a brief is filed by an attorney or prepared with a computer, the party must also provide a certificate of compliance as required by Local Civil Rule 7.1(c). To the extent the court permits a party to submit briefs longer than these limits, and expresses those limits in pages, each additional page must not contain more than 350 additional words if the brief is filed by an attorney or prepared with a computer.

For relevant historical context for this local rule, consult the Appendix of Committee Notes.