Paul Adam Engelmayer at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New York · Federal
- Judicial service
- Active
Paul Adam Engelmayer
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Official judge-specific and circuitwide procedural guidance has been located for this profile.
Service record and verification
Judicial service and assignments
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York · Judge · Active · July 27, 2011–present · Assignment source ↗
Appointment and verification
- Appointment method
- Presidential appointment with Senate confirmation
- Appointing authority
- Barack Obama
- Source authority
- Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory
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Biography
Professional career
- Judge, District Court, S.D. New York, 2011-present
- American lawyer and jurist serving as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York since July 27, 2011
- As of 2026, Judge Engelmayer remains active on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, continuing to hear civil and criminal cases
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of New York, 1996-1999
- Assistant to the solicitor general, U.S. Department of Justice, 1994-1996
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of New York, 1989-1994
- Law clerk, Hon. Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court of the United States, 1988-1989
- Law clerk to Justice Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court (1988–1989)
- Law clerk, Hon. Patricia M. Wald, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1987-1988
- Law clerk to Chief Judge Patricia M. Wald, D.C. Circuit (1987–1988)
Education
- Harvard University — J.D. (1987)
- Harvard University — B.A. (1983)
- Harvard College
Additional information
- deputy chief appellate attorney, 1994-present
- Nominated by President Barack Obama on February 2, 2011, to replace Gerard E. Lynch, confirmed by the Senate 98–0 on July 26, 2011, and commissioned the next day.
- Private practice, New York City, 2000-2011
- chief, Major Crimes Unit, 1996-1999
- Reporter, Wall Street Journal, New York City, 1983-1984
- Born 1961 in New York City.
- Date of birth: 1961-01-01
- He presides over cases in the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse at 40 Foley Square, New York City
- Birth place: New York, NY
Paul Adam Engelmayer Procedures & Courtroom Rules
Electronic Devices
Judge Specific
Judge Engelmayer requires a prior court order to bring computers, printers, or other non-personal electronic equipment into the courthouse.
In order for an attorney to bring into the Courthouse any computer, printer, or other electronic equipment not qualifying as a personal electronic device, specific authorization is required by prior Court Order.Judge Engelmayer's Individual Rules of Practice in Civil Cases ↗
Remote appearances
Courtwide
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Recording and broadcasting
Courtwide
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Published courtroom rules
Judge and named-part rules
Published judge / part rules (54 excerpts)
See document heading and cited passage; do not apply outside the issuing part or proceeding.
Official rules document ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27
Discovery
Unless otherwise ordered, these Individual Practices shall apply to all civil matters before Judge Engelmayer, except for civil pro se cases. If a case is designated by Order of the Court to be part of one of the Court’s pilot projects or plans (e.g., the Plan for Certain Section 1983 Cases Against the City of New York, the Pilot Project Regarding Case Management Techniques for Complex Civil Cases, or the Initial Discovery Protocols for Employment Cases Alleging Adverse Action), the procedures in such project or plan shall govern to the extent that they are inconsistent with these Individual Practices.
Source page 1Communications with chambers
A. Letters. Except as otherwise provided below, communications with the Court shall be by letter. Letters must be filed electronically on ECF. Letters may not exceed three pages in length without prior permission from Chambers. Letters solely between parties or their counsel or otherwise not addressed to the Court may not be filed on ECF or otherwise sent to the Court (except as exhibits to an otherwise properly filed document).
Source page 1Filing and working copies
Letters to be filed under seal or containing sensitive or confidential information must be filed electronically through the court’s ECF system in conformity with the court’s standing order, 19-MC-00583, and ECF Rules & Instructions, section 6.
Source page 1Communications with chambers
B. Telephone Calls. For urgent matters, call Chambers at (212) 805-0268. Otherwise, all communications with Chambers shall be by letter or letter-motion filed on ECF. Any voicemail messages should identify the identity of the caller, a call-back number, and the relevant case number.
Source page 1Adjournments
E. Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time. All requests for adjournments or extensions of time must be made in writing and filed on ECF as letter-motions, not as proposed stipulations or orders. (If a request contains sensitive or confidential information, it may be filed electronically through the court’s ECF system in conformity with the court’s standing order, 19-MC-00583, and ECF Rules & Instructions, section 6.)
Source page 2Adjournments
1. Timing: Absent extraordinary circumstances, requests for extensions will be denied if not made before the expiration of the original deadline. If the request is for an adjournment of a court appearance, absent an emergency, the request shall be made at least two business days prior to the scheduled appearance.
Source page 2Adjournments
2. Content: The letter must state: (1) the original due date, the date or dates sought to be extended, and the new date the party now seeks through an adjournment or extension; (2) the number of previous requests for adjournment or extensions of time;
Source page 2Adjournments
(3) whether those previous requests were granted or denied; and (4) whether the adversary consents, and, if not, the reasons given by the adversary for refusing to consent. If the requested adjournment or extension affects any other scheduled dates, a proposed Revised Civil Case Management Plan and Scheduling Order must be attached.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
F. Related Cases. After an action has been accepted as related to a prior filing, all future court papers and correspondence must contain the docket number of the new filing, as well as the docket number of the case to which it is related (e.g., 11-CV-1234 [rel. 10-CV-4321]).
Source page 2Conferences and appearances
A. In-Person Conferences. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, all in-person conferences will be held in Courtroom 1305 of the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
B. Teleconferences. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, any proceeding held by telephone will be on the Court’s dedicated conference line, which can be accessed by calling (855) 244-8681, and entering Access Code 2318-315-0661, followed by the pound (#) key.
Source page 2Conferences and appearances
C. Attendance by Principal Trial Counsel. The attorney who will serve as principal trial counsel must appear at all conferences with the Court.
Source page 3Motion practice
D. Initial Case Management Conference. The Court will generally schedule a Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(c) conference approximately two weeks after an answer or motion to dismiss is filed. The Notice of Initial Pretrial Conference will be docketed on ECF; plaintiff’s counsel is directed to notify all counsel of this Order forthwith. At the initial conference, the Court will schedule a next conference for approximately one month after the close of fact discovery. This next conference will either serve as a pre-motion conference (in the event any party intends to move for summary judgment, see Section 3.K below) or will be used to set a trial date and dates for pretrial submissions.
Source page 3Communications with chambers
1. Required Materials: At least four business days before the conference date, the parties must file on ECF: (1) a proposed Civil Case Management Plan and Scheduling Order, available on the Court’s website at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-paul- engelmayer; and (2) a joint letter, not to exceed three single-spaced pages in length, describing the case, any contemplated motions, and the prospect for settlement. The parties must also email EngelmayerNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov the names of counsel who will be appearing at the conference, denoting lead counsel with an asterisk.
Source page 3Communications with chambers
E. Discovery Disputes. Follow Local Civil Rule 37.2 with the following modifications. Any party wishing to raise a discovery dispute with the Court must first confer in good faith with the opposing party, in person or by telephone, in an effort to resolve the dispute. If this meet-and-confer process does not resolve the dispute, the party must submit a letter to the Court via ECF, no longer than three single-spaced pages, explaining the nature of the dispute, the legal standards governing the issue, and case law, if any, supporting the party’s position.
Source page 3Communications with chambers
Such a letter must include a representation that the meet-and-confer process occurred and was unsuccessful. If the opposing party wishes to respond to the letter, it must do so within three business days and should call Chambers promptly to advise that a responsive letter will be forthcoming. Reply letters are not invited. Either party may, in their letter, request an informal conference. If the Court schedules such a conference, counsel should be prepared to discuss the matters raised by such letters, as the Court will seek to resolve discovery disputes quickly, including by telephone conference call.
Source page 3Motion practice
A. Pre-Motion Conferences in Civil Cases. Pre-motion conferences are not required, except for motions concerning discovery, which are governed by Section 2.E above, and for summary judgment motions, which are governed by Section 3.K below.
Source page 3Motion practice
C. Memoranda of Law. The Court encourages and appreciates brevity. Unless prior permission has been granted, memoranda of law in support of and in opposition to motions are limited to 25 pages, and reply memoranda are limited to 10 pages. All memoranda of law shall be in 12-point font or larger and be double-spaced. Memoranda of 10 pages or more shall contain a table of contents and a table of authorities, neither of which shall count against the page limit. All appendices to memoranda of law must be tabbed and indexed.
Source page 4Motion practice
D. Filing of Motion Papers. Motion papers shall be filed promptly after service.
Source page 4Filing and working copies
E. Courtesy Copies. Unless the Court orders otherwise, parties should not submit courtesy copies of any submissions.
Source page 4Filing and working copies
G. Text Searchable Submissions. If feasible, a party should file its submission(s) in text- searchable format created by converting the document electronically to PDF by computer (that is, not by scanning a printed document). If a PDF is created by scanning a printed document (for instance, in the case of a pre-existing documentary exhibit), the party should use software to make the document text searchable whenever possible.
Source page 4Artificial intelligence
H. Use of Artificial Intelligence or Large Language Models. Counsel is responsible for making complete and accurate representations as to the record, procedural history of the case, and any cited legal authorities. The Court takes no position as to the use of artificial intelligence, but counsel must at all times personally confirm for themselves the accuracy of any research conducted by these means. At all times, counsel—and specifically designated lead counsel—bears responsibility for the accuracy of any filings.
Source page 4Filing and working copies
I. Amended or Corrected Filings. Any amended or corrected filing shall be filed with a redline showing all differences between the original and revised filing.
Source page 4Discovery
K. Post-Discovery Settlement Conference. In cases to be tried by jury, within two weeks of the close of fact discovery, the parties must submit a joint letter to the Court stating whether all parties consent to a settlement conference to be held before this Court or the assigned Magistrate Judge. The letter should not identify, explicitly or implicitly, any party that has declined to so consent.
Source page 4Motion practice
L. Motions for Summary Judgment. If a party wishes to move for summary judgment, it must, within 14 days of the close of fact discovery, request that the pre-motion / pretrial conference previously scheduled for after the close of fact discovery serve as a pre-motion conference. To so request, the moving party shall submit a letter via ECF, not to exceed three single-spaced pages in length, setting forth the basis for the anticipated motion, including the legal standards governing the claims at issue. Other parties shall respond similarly within one week. The Court will review and discuss with counsel any anticipated summary judgment motions at the pre-motion / pretrial conference.
Source page 5Courtroom conduct and technology
1. Rule 56.1 Statements. Any party moving for summary judgment shall provide all other parties with an electronic copy, in Microsoft Word format, of the moving party’s Statement of Material Facts Pursuant to Local Rule 56.1. Opposing parties must reproduce each entry in the moving party’s Rule 56.1 Statement, and set out the opposing party’s response directly beneath it. If the opposing party wishes to file their own, additional statements of material fact, it shall begin numbering each entry where the moving party left off. To streamline the summary judgment briefing process, the Court strongly encourages the parties to also negotiate and submit, prior to or along with the movant’s Rule 56.1 Statement, a Joint Rule 56.1 Statement setting out all facts on which the parties agree.
Source page 5Adjournments
M. Letter-Motions. Letter-motions must be filed via ECF if they comply with the S.D.N.Y. Local Rules and the S.D.N.Y. “Electronic Case Filing Rules and Instructions.” In particular, all requests for adjournments, extensions, and pre-motion conferences (including pre-motion conferences with respect to discovery disputes) must be filed as letter-motions.
Source page 5Motion practice
N. Failure of the Court to Schedule Argument or Decide a Motion. If a motion is not decided within 60 days of the time that it has become fully briefed, counsel for the movant shall send a letter to alert the Court.
Source page 5Motion practice
O. Preliminary Injunction Motions. The Court generally follows the procedure for the conduct of non-jury trials described in Section 5.C below, to wit, parties should submit any documentary exhibits, declarations, and / or affidavits in support of or in opposition to such motion at the time they submit their legal memoranda in support of or in opposition to such motion.
Source page 5Communications with chambers
P. Applications for a Temporary Restraining Order. A party must confer with his or her adversary before making an application for a temporary restraining order unless the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(b) are met. As soon as a party decides to seek a temporary restraining order, he or she must email Chambers at EngelmayerNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov and state clearly whether (1) he or she has notified their adversary, and whether the adversary consents to temporary injunctive relief; or
Source page 5Motion practice
(2) the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(b) are satisfied and no notice is necessary. The moving party must also give notice of the time frame requested for Court action. If the motion is made on notice, all parties should be copied on the email.
Source page 6Communications with chambers
The moving party should then file a Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, supporting documents, and a proposed order on ECF in accordance with the procedures found in ECF Rule 18.2. Information on filing an application ex parte may be found in section 6, Sealed Filing, of the S.D.N.Y. ECF Rules & Instructions, available at https://nysd.uscourts.gov /rules/ecf-related-instructions. Where the motion is made on notice to the other parties, the moving party should simultaneously serve the documents on any party that will not receive electronic service via the ECF system.
Source page 6Motion practice
Q. Default Judgments. A plaintiff seeking a default judgment must proceed by filing a motion for default judgment on ECF pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(b)(2) and Local Civil Rule 55.2(b). A plaintiff seeking a default judgment should not proceed
Source page 6Motion practice
The Court will review the motion for default judgment and, if appropriate, issue an order setting a date and time for a default judgment hearing. If the Court issues such an order, the plaintiff must then serve on the party against whom default judgment is sought: (1) the motion for default judgment and supporting papers; and (2) the Court’s order setting a date and time for the default judgment hearing. The plaintiff must file proof of such service on the docket in the manner and by the date specified in the Court’s order setting the default judgment hearing.
Source page 7Conferences and appearances
A. Cases Removed from State Court. Counsel for the party or parties that removed the case must, in addition to providing a copy of all process, pleadings, and papers served upon the defendants pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1446(a), provide the Court with a courtesy copy of any pleading filed or served while the case remained in State court. Counsel for all parties must file a notice of appearance in this Court promptly upon removal.
Source page 8Filing and working copies
1. Sealing/Redactions Not Requiring Court Approval. The parties are referred to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2, the E-Government Act of 2002, and the Southern District’s ECF Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) and reminded not to include, unless necessary, the five categories of “sensitive information” in their submissions (i.e., social security numbers [use the last four digits only], names of minor children [use the initials only], dates of birth [use the year only], financial account numbers [use the last four digits only], and home addresses [use only the City and State]). Parties may redact the five categories of “sensitive information” and the six categories of information requiring caution (i.e., personal identifying number, medical records (including information regarding treatment and diagnosis), employment history, individual financial information, proprietary or trade secret information, and information regarding an individual’s cooperation with the government), as described in the Privacy Policy, without Court approval.
Source page 8Motion practice
3. Procedures for Filing Sealed or Redacted Documents. Motions or Letter Motions for approval of sealed or redacted filings in civil and miscellaneous cases and the subject documents, including the proposed sealed document(s), must be filed electronically through the court’s ECF system in conformity with the court’s standing order, 19-MC-00583, and ECF Rules & Instructions, section 6. Any party seeking to
Source page 8Motion practice
i. Sealed Document(s). The motion must be filed in public view, must explain the particular reasons for seeking to file that information under seal and should not include confidential information sought to be filed under seal. Supporting [8]
Source page 8Motion practice
papers must be separately filed electronically and may be filed under seal or redacted only to the extent necessary to safeguard information sought to be filed under seal. The proposed sealed document must be contemporaneously filed under seal in the ECF system and electronically related to the motion. The summary docket text, but not the sealed document, will be open to public inspection and should not include confidential information sought to be filed under seal.
Source page 9Motion practice
(a) publicly file the document with the proposed redactions, and (b) electronically file under seal a copy of the unredacted document with the proposed redactions highlighted. Both documents must be electronically filed through the ECF system and related to the motion.
Source page 9Communications with chambers
iii. Submission by Email. Any party unable to comply with the requirement for electronic filing under seal through the ECF system, or who has reason to believe that a particular document should not be electronically filed, shall file a letter- motion seeking leave of the Court to file in a different manner. If the party is unable to file such a letter-motion on ECF, or believes there is good cause not to file such a letter-motion on ECF, the party may submit it by email (at EngelmayerNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov) as a text-searchable PDF attachment with a copy simultaneously delivered to all counsel. Any such email shall state clearly in the subject line: (1) the caption of the case, including the lead party names and docket number; and (2) a brief description of the contents of the letter. Parties may not include substantive communications in the body of the email; such communications may be included only in the body of the letter
Source page 9Conferences and appearances
C. Settlement Agreements. The Court will not retain jurisdiction to enforce confidential settlement agreements. If the parties wish that the Court retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement, the parties must place the terms of their settlement agreement on the public record. The parties may either provide a copy of the settlement agreement for the Court to endorse or include the terms of their settlement agreement in their stipulation of settlement and dismissal.
Source page 9Conferences and appearances
D. Diversity Jurisdiction Cases. In any action in which subject matter jurisdiction is founded on diversity of citizenship pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332, the party asserting the existence of such jurisdiction shall, prior to the Initial Pretrial Conference, submit to the Court a letter no longer than two pages explaining the basis for that party’s belief that diversity of citizenship exists. Where any party is a corporation, the letter shall state both the place of incorporation and the principal place of business. In cases where any party is a partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or trust, the letter shall state the [9]
Source page 9Communications with chambers
i. The full caption of the action; ii. The names, law firms, addresses, and telephone and fax numbers of trial counsel; iii. A brief statement by plaintiff as to the basis of subject matter jurisdiction, and a brief statement by each other party as to the presence or absence of subject matter jurisdiction. Such statements shall include citations to all statutes relied on and relevant facts as to citizenship and jurisdictional amount;
Source page 10Trial exhibits and witnesses
v. A statement as to the number of trial days needed and whether the case is to be tried with or without a jury, without identifying which parties do or do not seek a jury trial; vi. A statement as to whether or not all parties have consented to trial by a magistrate judge, without identifying which parties do or do not consent;
Source page 10Discovery
vii. Any stipulations or agreed statements of fact or law to which all parties consent; viii. A list of all trial witnesses, indicating whether such witnesses will testify in person or by deposition, and a brief summary of the substance of each witness’s testimony;
Source page 10Motion practice
i. In all cases, motions addressing any evidentiary issues or other matters which should be resolved in limine; ii. In all cases where a party believes it would be useful to the Court, a pretrial memorandum of law; iii. In jury cases, requests to charge and proposed voir dire questions; and
Source page 10Filing and working copies
iv. In non-jury cases, proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. The proposed findings of fact should be detailed and should include citations to the proffered trial testimony and exhibits, as there may be no opportunity for post- trial submissions.
Source page 11Discovery
i. Copies of affidavits constituting the direct testimony of each trial witness, except for the direct testimony of an adverse party, a person whose attendance is compelled by subpoena, or a person for whom the Court has agreed to hear direct testimony live at the trial. (The Court’s practice is, at the pretrial conference held after the close of discovery, to determine, after consultation with counsel, which direct testimony to hear live and which to receive by means of affidavit.) Three business days after submission of such affidavits, counsel for each party shall submit a list of all affiants whom he or she intends to cross-examine at the trial.
Source page 11Discovery
Only those witnesses who will be cross-examined need to appear at trial. The original signed affidavits should be brought to trial to be marked as exhibits; ii. All deposition excerpts which will be offered as substantive evidence, as well as a one-page synopsis of those excerpts for each deposition. Each synopsis shall include page citations to the pertinent pages of the deposition transcripts; and iii. All documentary exhibits.
Source page 11Communications with chambers
E. Courtesy Copies. Two courtesy copies of all documents identified in Sections 5.A–D above should be submitted to Chambers on the date on which they are to be served or filed. Voluminous material may be organized either in binders or manila file folders, but in any event, the courtesy copies shall be separately arranged into two independent sets.
Source page 11Communications with chambers
A. Mobile Phones and Personal Electronic Devices. Attorneys’ use of mobile phones, Blackberries, and other personal electronic devices within the Courthouse and its environs is governed by Standing Order M10-468. Any attorney wishing to bring a telephone or other personal electronic device into the Courthouse must be a member of this Court’s Bar, must obtain the necessary service pass from the District Executive’s Office, and must show the service pass upon entering the Courthouse. Mobile phones are permitted inside the
Source page 11Courtroom conduct and technology
Courtroom, but must be kept turned off at all times. Non-compliance with this rule will result in forfeiture of the device for the remainder of the proceedings.
Source page 12Communications with chambers
B. Computers, or Other Electronic Equipment. In order for an attorney to bring into the Courthouse any computer, printer, or other electronic equipment not qualifying as a “personal electronic device,” specific authorization is required by prior Court Order. Any party seeking to bring such equipment into the Courthouse should send a letter to Chambers at least 10 business days before the relevant trial or hearing requesting permission to use such equipment. The letter shall identify the type(s) of equipment to be used and the name(s) of the attorney(s) who will be using the equipment, printers will not be permitted. Chambers will coordinate with the District Executive’s Office to issue the Order and forward a copy to counsel. The Order must be shown upon bringing the equipment into the Courthouse.
Source page 12Published judge / part rules (19 excerpts)
See document heading and cited passage; do not apply outside the issuing part or proceeding.
Official rules document ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27
Communications with chambers
A. By a Pro Se Party. All communications with the Court by a pro se party should be delivered in person or mailed to the Pro Se Office, United States Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, Room 200, New York, New York 10007. No documents or court filings may be sent directly to Chambers. Unless the Court orders otherwise, all communications with the Court will be docketed upon receipt; such docketing shall constitute service on any user of the ECF system.
Source page 1Communications with chambers
If any other party is not a user of the ECF system (e.g., if there is another pro se party in the case), a pro se party must send copies of any filing to that party and include an Affidavit of Service or other statement affirming that it has done so. Copies of correspondence between a pro se party and opposing parties shall not be sent to the Court.
Source page 1Communications with chambers
B. By Parties Represented by Counsel. Except as otherwise provided below, communications with the Court by a represented party shall be governed by Judge Engelmayer’s Individual Rules and Practices in Civil Cases, available at http://nysd.uscourts.gov/judge/Engelmayer.
Source page 1Adjournments
C. Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time. All requests for adjournments or extensions of time must be made in writing and must state: (1) the original date(s); (2) the number of previous requests for adjournment or extension; (3) whether these previous requests were granted or denied; (4) the reasons for the requested extension; (5) whether the adversary consents and, if not, the reasons given by the adversary for refusing to consent; and (6) the date of the parties’ next scheduled appearance before the Court. If the requested adjournment or extension affects any other scheduled dates, a represented party must submit a proposed Revised Scheduling Order in accordance with Judge Furman’s Individual Rules and Practices in Civil Cases. A pro se party may, but is not required to, submit a proposed Revised Scheduling Order. Requests for extensions of deadlines regarding a matter that has been referred to a Magistrate Judge shall be directed to that assigned Magistrate Judge.
Source page 1Adjournments
Absent an emergency, any request for an extension or adjournment shall be made at least 48 hours prior to the deadline or scheduled appearance.
Source page 2Motion practice
A. Papers Filed by a Pro Se Party. All papers to be filed with the Court by a pro se party, along with one courtesy copy of those papers, shall be delivered in person or sent by mail to the Pro Se Office, United States Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, Room 200, New York, New York 10007. Any pro se party that wishes to participate in electronic case filing (“e-filing”) must file a Motion for Permission for Electronic Case Filing (available at http://nysd.uscourts.gov/file/forms/motion-for-permission-for-electronic-case-filing-for-pro- se-cases and in the Pro Se Office). If the Court grants a motion to participate in “e-filing,” that party will not receive hardcopies of any document filed electronically via ECF.
Source page 2Filing and working copies
B. Service on a Pro Se Party. Counsel in pro se cases must serve a pro se party with a paper copy of any document that is filed electronically and must file with the Court a separate Affidavit of Service. Submissions filed without proof of service that the pro se party was served will not be considered.
Source page 2Discovery
All requests for discovery by a pro se party should be sent to counsel for the party from whom discovery is sought. Discovery requests should not be sent to the Court.
Source page 2Motion practice
If there are any discovery disputes, the parties are required to confer with one another in an effort to resolve the dispute without the need for Court intervention. If the parties are unable to resolve their dispute, either party may file a letter-motion, no longer than three pages and in accordance with Paragraph 1 above, explaining the nature of the dispute and requesting an informal conference. If the opposing party wishes to respond to the letter, it must promptly file a responsive letter, not to exceed three pages.
Source page 2Motion practice
A. Filing and Service. All motions, unless brought on by an Order to Show Cause, should be made with a return date six weeks after the date of service. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, opposing papers must be served and filed within four weeks of service of the motion papers, and reply papers, if any, must be served and filed within two weeks of receipt of opposition papers.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
B. Courtesy Copy. One courtesy hard copy of all formal motion papers, marked as such, should be submitted to Chambers by the non-pro se party at the time the reply is due. Courtesy copies should not be submitted to Chambers at the time of filing. If all the parties are pro se, then no courtesy copies of formal motion papers are required.
Source page 2Motion practice
C. Oral Argument. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, argument will not be heard in pro se matters.
Source page 3Motion practice
D. Pro Se Notices. Parties who file a motion to dismiss, a motion for judgment on the pleadings, or a motion for summary judgment must provide the pro se party with a copy of the notices required under Local Civil Rules 12.1 or 56.2.
Source page 3Motion practice
E. Special Rule for Summary Judgment Motions. With respect to any deposition that is supplied, whether in whole or in part, in connection with a summary judgment motion, the index to the deposition should be included if it is available.
Source page 3Communications with chambers
The Court will generally schedule an initial case management conference within two months of the filing of the Answer. Incarcerated parties may not be able to attend this or other conferences, but may be able to participate by phone. If incarcerated parties do not have counsel, a family member or a representative may attend the conference if an incarcerated party is unable to participate. If a representative is designated, he or she should contact Chambers, Courtroom Deputy, at EngelmayerNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov, to determine the location of the conference. The Court will also send a transcript of the conference to the incarcerated party. If an incarcerated party does not have counsel and a representative cannot be sent to a conference, the pro se party should write to the Judge regarding any issue the pro se party wishes to have addressed at the conference.
Source page 3Discovery
A. Pretrial Statement. Within 30 days of the completion of discovery unless otherwise ordered by the Court, a pro se plaintiff shall file a concise, written Pretrial Statement. This Statement need take no particular form, but it must contain the following: 1) a statement of the facts plaintiff hopes to prove at trial; 2) a list of all documents or other physical objects that the plaintiff plans to put into evidence at trial; and 3) a list of the names and addresses of all witnesses plaintiff intends to have testify at trial. The Statement must be sworn by the plaintiff to be true and accurate based on the facts known by the plaintiff. The pro se plaintiff shall file an original, plus one courtesy copy, of this Statement with the Pro Se Office and serve a copy on all defendants or their counsel if they are represented. The original Statement must include a certificate stating the date a copy was mailed to the attorney for the defendant. Two weeks after service of plaintiff's Statement, the defendant must file and serve a similar Statement of its case containing the same information.
Source page 3Filing and working copies
B. Other Pretrial Filings. If the case is to be tried before only a Judge without a jury, any parties represented by counsel must also file proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law at the time of filing the Pretrial Statement. If the case is to be tried before a jury, any parties represented by counsel must also file proposed voir dire questions, a proposed jury charge,
Source page 3Communications with chambers
and a proposed verdict form at the time of filing the Pretrial Statement. At the time of filing, a represented party should e-mail these documents to the Court (EngelmayerNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov), in both .pdf and Microsoft Word formats.
Source page 4Communications with chambers
The pro se party may file such documents, but is not required to do so and need not submit them by e-mail.
Source page 4Shared court rules
SDNY and EDNY — Joint Local Civil and Criminal Rules
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Federal district-court proceedings only. Civil and criminal sections have distinct scope and district-specific exceptions. Not Bankruptcy Court rules.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Identity source checked July 25, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory · effective July 27, 2011 · Source checked July 25, 2026
View Federal Judicial Center biography ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · CourtListener / Free Law Project · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗Judge Engelmayer's Individual Rules of Practice in Civil Cases
Judge Specific source · PDF · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York · effective February 1, 2026 · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Judge Engelmayer's Individual Rules of Practice in Civil Cases ↗Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Courtwide source · HTML · Supreme Court of the United States and Judicial Conference of the United States · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Courtwide source · HTML · Supreme Court of the United States and Judicial Conference of the United States · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗