CIVIL RULES

LR 9.1 Social Security and Black Lung Cases

1. Form of Complaint. A complaint filed pursuant to Section 205(g) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), for benefits under Titles II, XVI, or XVIII of the Social Security Act, or Part B, Title VI, of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, must contain, in the first paragraph of the complaint, the last four digits of the social security number of:
   1. the worker on whose wage record the application for benefits is filed, regardless whether the worker is the plaintiff; and
   2. the plaintiff.

   On the defendant's request, the plaintiff must separately disclose the complete social security number of the worker or the plaintiff, but the defendant must not disclose or otherwise use the complete number except by leave of court or in accordance with law.

2. Summary Judgment Motions Required. Unless otherwise directed by the presiding judge, all parties to actions filed under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) must file motions for summary judgment within 30 days after the answer is filed.

LR 10.1 Required Form

In addition to the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, each pleading, motion, or other paper must:

1. contain on its face a title clearly identifying each included pleading, motion, or other paper;
2. contain a signature block that sets forth the attorney's bar number for the jurisdiction in which the attorney is admitted to practice, and a facsimile number and e-mail address where information may be sent to the attorney;
3. use a page size of 8 1/2 x 11 inches;
4. be typed, printed, or legibly handwritten on numbered pages; and
5. when submitted on paper, unless otherwise provided by the local civil rules or order of the presiding judge, be two-hole punched at the top and either stapled in the upper, left-hand corner or secured with a durable fastener at the top.

LR 11.1 Electronic Signature

1. What Constitutes Electronic Signature. The signature of an attorney who submits a pleading, motion, or other paper for filing by electronic means is the login and password issued to the attorney by the clerk.
2. Requirements for Electronic Signature. An attorney who submits a document for filing by electronic means must place on the document an “s/” and the typed name of the attorney, or a graphical signature, in the space where the attorney’s signature would have appeared had the document been submitted on paper.
3. Certification of Signature of Another Person. By submitting a document by electronic means and representing the consent of another person on the document, an attorney who submits the document certifies that the document has been properly signed.
4. Requirements for Another Person’s Electronic Signature. An attorney who submits a document by electronic means that is signed by another person—including by a moving party under LR 40.1—must:
   1. include a scanned image of the other person’s signature, or represent the consent of the other person in a manner permitted or required by the presiding judge; and
   2. maintain the signed paper copy of the document for one year after final disposition of the case.

LR 15.1 Motions to Amend   

1. When Filed on Paper. When a party files a motion for leave to file an amended pleading that, if leave is granted, will be filed on paper, the party must attach a copy of the proposed amended pleading as an exhibit to the motion. The party must also submit with the motion an original and a judge's copy of the proposed pleading. The original and judge's copy must neither be physically attached to the motion nor made exhibits to the motion. The original of the proposed pleading must contain the original signature of the signing attorney. If leave is granted, the clerk will file the original of the amended pleading.
2. When Filed by Electronic Means. When a party files by electronic means a motion for leave to file an amended pleading, the party must attach the proposed amended pleading to the motion as an exhibit. If leave is granted, the party must then electronically file the amended pleading, subject to the restrictions and requirements of the ECF Administrative Procedures Manual.

LR 16.1 Exemptions from Pretrial Scheduling and Management   

The following categories of cases are exempt from the scheduling and planning requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b):

1. actions for social security benefits, including appeals from decisions of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and black lung cases subject to LR 9.1;
2. prisoner civil rights complaints filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1981 et seq.;
3. forfeiture actions;
4. cases filed by the United States Attorney for collection of promissory notes payable to the United States or any government agency;
5. bankruptcy appeals;
6. cases involving pro se plaintiffs;
7. habeas corpus complaints filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 or § 2255;
8. petitions for enforcement of an Internal Revenue Service summons;
9. actions for review of the administrative action of any federal agency; and
10. all cases not reported by the clerk for statistical purposes as filed cases.

LR 16.2 Authority of Magistrate Judges as to Scheduling Orders   

Unless the presiding judge otherwise directs, a magistrate judge shall have the authority under Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b) to enter and modify scheduling orders.

LR 16.3 Settlement

1. Settlement Negotiations. Parties in a civil action must make good-faith efforts to settle. Settlement negotiations must begin at the earliest possible time, well in advance of any pretrial conference.
2. Settlement Conferences. A judge will be available for settlement discussions. In nonjury cases the presiding judge will not discuss settlement figures unless requested to do so by all concerned parties.

LR 16.4 Pretrial Order   

Unless otherwise directed by the presiding judge, a pretrial order must be submitted to the presiding judge at least 14 days before the scheduled date for trial. All attorneys are responsible for preparing the pretrial order, which must contain the following:

1. a summary of the claims and defenses of each party;
2. a statement of stipulated facts;
3. a list of contested issues of fact;
4. a list of contested issues of law;
5. an estimate of the length of trial;
6. a list of any additional matters that might aid in the disposition of the case;
7. the signature of each attorney; and
8. a place for the date and the signature of the presiding judge.

LR 23.1 Complaint

A complaint alleging a class action must bear in its title the designation "COMPLAINT--CLASS ACTION," and must contain a separate heading entitled "Class Action Allegations."

LR 23.2 Motion for Certification; Briefs   

Within 90 days of filing a class action complaint, or at such other time as the presiding judge by order directs, an attorney for the plaintiff must move for certification. A brief must accompany the motion for certification and must specifically set out the following:

1. the appropriate sections of Fed. R. Civ. P. 23 under which the suit is properly maintainable as a class action;
2. specific factual allegations concerning the alleged class, including:
   1. the approximate number of class members;
   2. the definition of the class and any subclasses;
   3. the distinguishing and common characteristics of class members, such as geography, time, and common financial incentives;
   4. questions of law and fact that are common to the class; and
   5. in actions asserting a class under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3), allegations concerning the findings required by that section;
3. the basis of the named plaintiff's claim to be an adequate representative of the class, including financial responsibility to fund the action;
4. the basis for determining any required jurisdictional amount;
5. the type and estimated expense of notice to be given to class members, and the source of funds from which notice costs will be paid;
6. the discovery necessary for a class certification hearing and the estimated time necessary for such discovery; and
7. all arrangements for payment of plaintiffs' attorney's fees.

LR 23.3 Class Notice Responses

1. Once a case is conditionally certified as a class action and the presiding judge requires that notice be given to potential class members, the following rules apply:
   1. if there are fewer than 1,000 potential class members, the presiding judge may require that notification responses be sent directly to the clerk; but
   2. if there are 1,000 or more potential class members, the presiding judge may require that notification responses be sent to a United States Postal Service box in the name of the clerk. Plaintiff must pay the fees for the box, but such fees will be taxed as costs.
2. The presiding judge may name an individual to collect, account for, and tabulate notice responses. Plaintiff must pay such individual a reasonable fee for these services, as determined by the presiding judge, but such fee will be taxed as costs.

Back to top