Sanket Jayshukh Bulsara at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- New York · Federal
- Judicial service
- Active
Sanket Jayshukh Bulsara
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Eastern 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 Eastern District of New York · Judge · Active · December 20, 2024–present · Assignment source ↗
Appointment and verification
- Appointment method
- Presidential appointment with Senate confirmation
- Appointing authority
- Joseph R. Biden
- Source authority
- Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory
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Biography
Professional career
- American judge serving on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, appointed on December 20, 2024 by President Joe Biden to replace Judge Joan Azrack
- U.S. Magistrate Judge, Eastern District of New York (2017–2024)
- Adjunct professor, Brooklyn Law School, 2020
- Special assistant district attorney, Kings County, New York (on detail), 2007-2008
- Law clerk, Hon. John G. Koeltl, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2002-2003
- Law clerk to Judge John G. Koeltl (S.D.N.Y.), 2002–2003
- First South Asian American federal judge in the Second Circuit
Education
- Harvard University — B.A. (1998)
Additional information
- Magistrate, District Court, E.D. New York, 2017-present
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2015-2017; deputy general counsel for appellate litigation, adjudication, and enforcement, 2015-2017; acting general counsel, 2017
- Private practice, New York City, 2005-2015
- Manager of planning and data analysis, Division of Human Resources, New York City Department of Education, 2004-2005
- Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 2003-2004
- Born in 1976 in The Bronx, New York, to immigrant parents from India and Kenya, Bulsara obtained a B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1998 and a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2002
Sanket Jayshukh Bulsara Procedures & Courtroom Rules
Courtroom Technology
Judge Specific
Judge Bulsara requires parties planning to use audio-visual equipment at a hearing or trial to arrange a technology walkthrough and equipment test with the Courtroom Deputy sufficiently before trial; civil trial exhibits must also be supplied electronically by the joint-pretrial-order deadline.
The party should contact Judge Bulsara's Courtroom Deputy sufficiently in advance of trial to make the necessary arrangements for a technology walkthrough and to test the equipment. ... By the JPTO deadline, parties must also submit ... an electronic copy of each exhibit sought to be admitted.Individual Practices for Civil and Criminal Cases of Judge Sanket J. Bulsara ↗
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 (146 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
Written Must occur via letter filed II.A 1 Communications on ECF.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
Call only if parties cannot appear due to emergency and on the day of the Telephone Calls II.B 1 conference. Telephone calls to chambers, Communications otherwise prohibited.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
with Chambers Ex parte communication prohibited. Certain Email documents must be II.C 1 provided to Chambers via email.
Source page 2Conferences and appearances
Required in every case consistent with Local Notices of Civil Rule 1.4. “Of III.B 2 Appearance counsel” appearances prohibited.
Source page 2Filing and working copies
Text Searchable Preferred for ECF filings. III.C 2 Case Related Submissions Filings Counsel for represented parties must mail hard Pro Se Cases III.D 2 copies of papers to any pro se litigant.
Source page 2Communications with chambers
Voir dire; jury instructions; verdict Microsoft Word forms; proposed findings III.E 2 Documents should also be emailed to Chambers.
Source page 2Filing and working copies
Required for all memoranda of law, Rule 56.1 statements, and Courtesy Copies III.F 3 exhibits to summary judgment memoranda. Otherwise not required.
Source page 3Filing and working copies
Must follow procedures Sealed or set forth and satisfy III.G 3–4 Redacted Filings Lugosch test.
Source page 3Remote appearances
In person proceedings only, except in certain pro Location; Remote se matters. Held in
Source page 3Adjournments
Must be made via letter Court Requests for motion, 48 hours prior to IV.B 4Conferences Adjournments the hearing.
Source page 3Trial exhibits and witnesses
Must comply with deadlines and word limits set by Local Rule 72.1(b). Objections or Must have made V.C 6 Appeals argument or presented evidence to Magistrate Judge in first instance.
Source page 4Motion practice
Required only for non- Premotion venue Rule 12 motions VI.B 6–7 Conferences and motions to amend pleadings.
Source page 4Motion practice
Joint proposed schedule should be filed for all motions, except letter- Briefing Schedule VI.C 7 motions, Rule 12 motions, motions in limine andMotions Daubert motions.
Source page 4Motion practice
Should be followed for all motions except for letter- Bundling Rule VI.D 7 motions and other enumerated motions.
Source page 4Motion practice
Must be made via letter Requests for motion, 48 hours prior to VI.H 8 Extensions of Time deadline.
Source page 4Motion practice
Require premotion conferences; party in opposition must inform Rule 12 Motions about intent to amend; VI.I 8–9 premotion conference will either set schedule or decide motion.
Source page 5Motion practice
Premotion settlement conference required; deadline for briefing schedule is 30 days following discovery close; early summary judgment motions discouraged; Summary special requirements for
Source page 5Motion practice
Judgment Motions cross-motions; typically not permitted in non-jury cases; Rule 56.1 statements must comply with Local Civil Rule; wholesale filing of exhibits or testimony prohibited.
Source page 5Motion practice
Premotion conference Motions to Amend required; redlines VI.K 10–11 required.
Source page 5Motion practice
Statements of facts and Motions for Class evidence relied on VI.L 11 Certification required.
Source page 5Motion practice
Absent order, must be Motions to filed on same schedule as VI.M 11–12 Exclude Experts summary judgment motions.
Source page 5Communications with chambers
Exempt; pro se litigant permitted to receive ECF ECF notice and submit VIII.A 12 electronically to Clerk’s Office. Pro Se Litigation Must be mailed in hard copy to pro se litigant; Motion Papers Local Civil Rule 7.2, 12.1, VIII.B 12 and 56.2 compliance certifications required.
Source page 6Motion practice
Due 30 days following filing of JPTO; subject to word and formatTrial Procedures Motions in Limine IX.D.1 14–15 limitations; single consolidated brief required.
Source page 6Filing and working copies
Requests to Due 30 days following Charge; Voir Dire; filing of JPTO; must be IX.D.2 15 Verdict Forms joint.
Source page 6Trial exhibits and witnesses
Must be disclosed by end Witnesses IX.E 15 of each trial day.
Source page 6Trial exhibits and witnesses
Parties should consult Technology courtroom deputy in IX.F 15 advance of trial date.
Source page 7Adjournments
A. Written Communications. Except as otherwise provided below, any communication with the Court must occur via letter filed on ECF. Except for courtesy copies, which may be delivered to the Clerk’s Office at the Central Islip courthouse, the Court does not accept hand delivery of any material. And the Court does not accept faxes. Letter correspondence solely between counsel should not be filed on ECF, unless as an exhibit to motion papers seeking relief from the Court. To ensure timely evaluation, a party making an application for relief via letter (such as a request for an adjournment) should file the document as a letter-motion on ECF.
Source page 9Communications with chambers
B. Telephone Calls and Case Related Inquiries. Telephone calls to chambers are prohibited, except for emergency circumstances on the date of a conference. Chambers should only be contacted if on the day of the conference, the parties cannot appear due to an emergency and counsel wish to inform the Court that an electronic application is forthcoming. In such a case, counsel may contact Judge Bulsara’s case manager, Eddie Manson. For all other requests, the parties must communicate with the Court by letter filed electronically on ECF.
Source page 9Conferences and appearances
For case-related questions including deadlines and confirmation of conference dates, counsel should electronically access the docket sheet. For questions regarding CM/ECF docketing and filings, counsel should call the Court’s Docketing Section at (631) 712-6010. For technical assistance and courtroom technology, counsel should call (631) 712-6070.
Source page 9Adjournments
C. Emails to Chambers. The Court’s email address is bulsara_chambers@nyed.uscourts.gov. Any request for an adjournment, even an emergency request, should only be made by letter-motion filed on the docket, not by email or telephone. The Court does not respond to email requests or inquiries, or accept submissions via email, except as provided in these rules. Ex parte emails to Chambers are not permitted and all emails must cc: all other counsel in the case.
Source page 9Communications with chambers
D. Submission of Large Electronic Files. The Court has a file transfer protocol for the safe electronic transmission of electronic files. If a party needs to submit large files to the Court, or exhibits for trial, the party should email Chambers indicating that they intend to submit large electronic file(s). The email should include the name and docket number of the case and the nature of the materials to be submitted electronically. The party should then follow the protocol set forth here: https://evidence.nyed.uscourts.gov for submission.
Source page 10Communications with chambers
A. Requirement for ECF Use. Counsel in all cases are required to register for Electronic Case Filing (“ECF”). Documents sent to the Court’s email address and not contemporaneously filed on ECF will not be considered filed. ECF procedures are available on the Eastern District of New York website. Chambers staff are unable to assist with filing via ECF. For assistance, please call the ECF helpline at (631) 712-6010. Because all orders issued by the Court will be transmitted to counsel electronically, attorneys are responsible for keeping their ECF registration current with the Clerk’s Office. Pro se litigants are exempt from ECF filing requirements.
Source page 10Conferences and appearances
B. Notices of Appearance. Counsel are reminded of their obligations under Local Civil Rule 1.4 to file a notice of appearance in civil cases. Only a party’s counsel of record, or an attorney authorized to appear by the party (and not simply by the party’s counsel of record) may appear in Court on behalf of a party. An attorney acting “of counsel” for a party’s counsel of record may not appear without the represented party’s explicit authorization, because such an attorney has no authority to make binding representations on behalf of any party. See N.Y. Rules of Pro. Conduct 1.2(c), 22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1200 (requiring client to give “informed consent” before an attorney may make a limited appearance on the client’s behalf).
Source page 10Filing and working copies
C. Text Searchable Submissions. If feasible, each submission on ECF should be in a text-searchable format created by converting the document electronically to PDF by computer (that is, not by scanning a printed document).
Source page 10Motion practice
D. Cases Involving Pro Se Litigants. A party represented by counsel in a case involving a pro se litigant must still file all documents electronically on ECF and must also mail a hard copy of all documents to the pro se litigant. See § VIII for additional rules regarding motions involving pro se litigants.
Source page 10Communications with chambers
E. Microsoft Word Documents. In addition to filing the document on ECF, a party should provide Microsoft Word versions of proposed (a) voir dire; (b) jury instructions; (c) findings of fact and conclusions of law; and (d) verdict forms to the Court through its email address. Other papers should not be emailed to Chambers.
Source page 10Motion practice
F. Courtesy Copies. The parties should only provide paper courtesy copies of memoranda of law and Rule 56.1 statements associated with any motion to the Court on the day the motion is filed on ECF (and not before). The parties must also submit courtesy copies of exhibits to summary judgment memoranda.
Source page 11Communications with chambers
Parties are encouraged to use double-sided printing for their courtesy copies. Such papers may be mailed; overnight, express, or hand delivery service is not required. Courtesy copies of other papers—including letters, letter-motions, objections, or appeals to decisions of a Magistrate Judge, exhibits to other motions, notices of motions, proposed orders, or motions directed to the Magistrate Judge—should not be provided, and need only be filed on ECF.
Source page 11Motion practice
G. Sealed or Redacted Filings. There are limited categories of information that may be redacted from public ECF filings without prior permission from the Court: those items listed in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2. All other redactions or sealing of filings require Court approval. In evaluating motions to seal, the Court applies the Second Circuit’s test set forth in Lugosch v. Pyramid Co., 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006). Motions for redaction or sealing should comply with
Source page 11Motion practice
2. A party seeking to file a redacted or sealed document should file a single motion to seal that addresses every document (appended as separate exhibits) for which sealing or redaction is sought.
Source page 11Motion practice
3. The motion to seal should be accompanied by a memorandum of law that explains why any material that is redacted or entirely shielded from public view satisfies Lugosch. If the memorandum of law requires redaction, both redacted and unredacted versions of the memorandum, the latter under seal, should be filed. The memorandum must include an attorney certification that the meet and confer required in Step 1 has been completed.
Source page 11Motion practice
4. A public version of the motion to seal—and the underlying motion—should be filed and must attach the exhibits containing limited redactions or an indication that the entire document is sealed, as appropriate. A private version of the motions should also be filed under seal with these same documents unredacted in their entirety.
Source page 11Motion practice
5. Any opposition to a motion to seal must be filed within three days of the filing of the motion to seal and follow the procedures in steps (2) through (4) above.
Source page 11Motion practice
6. Motions must comply with the terms of any District-wide order concerning
Source page 11Conferences and appearances
I. Settlement Agreements. The Court will not automatically retain jurisdiction to enforce confidential settlement agreements. If the parties move the Court to retain jurisdiction to enforce a settlement agreement, the party must file the unredacted version of the settlement agreement on ECF as an exhibit to the proposed stipulation of dismissal, and provide good cause why the Court should retain jurisdiction.
Source page 12Conferences and appearances
A. Location; Remote Proceedings. The Court conducts all conferences, except certain pro se matters, in person. Requests for remote proceedings will be denied. The parties should consult ECF to confirm the location of a conference.
Source page 12Conferences and appearances
Unless otherwise ordered, all in-person conferences will be held in Courtroom 930 in the Central Islip Courthouse.
Source page 12Adjournments
B. Requests for Adjournments. Requests for adjournments must be filed electronically as letter-motions. All requests for adjournments of a court appearance must be made in writing, and absent an emergency, at least 48 hours
Source page 12Conferences and appearances
C. Who Must Attend. Absent leave of Court obtained prior to the conference, the attorney who will serve as principal trial counsel must appear at all conferences with the Court. In accordance with Section III.B the Court does not permit “of counsel” appearances at Court conferences.
Source page 12Conferences and appearances
A. Allocation of Responsibilities to Magistrate Judges. Consistent with the EDNY’s Division of Business Rule 2(b)(2), the assigned Magistrate Judge is “empowered to act with respect to all non-dispositive pretrial matters.” As such, any request for action (including rescheduling of a deadline or conference set by the Magistrate Judge) on a non-dispositive matter should be addressed to the assigned Magistrate Judge, not Judge Bulsara. The following matters will be
Source page 13Motion practice
Motions for default judgment, to amend pleadings, or for attorney’s fees will be handled by, and should be directed to, Judge Bulsara.
Source page 13Motion practice
B. Consent to Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction. The Court strongly encourages parties to consent to Magistrate Judge jurisdiction over dispositive motions, for trial, settlement approval, or for all purposes. In any case under the Direct Assignment Program, which is indicated by a Clerk’s Notice on the docket, the parties must file the “Direct Assignment Program Acknowledgement Form” available at: https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/bulletin-direct-assignment- program.
Source page 14Trial exhibits and witnesses
C. Objections to or Appeal of Decisions, Orders, or Reports and Recommendations Issued by Magistrate Judges. Any appeal or objection to any action by a Magistrate Judge must comply with the deadlines and word limits set forth in Local Civil Rule 72.1(b). Replies are not permitted. The Court will summarily reject any objection or appeal based on arguments or evidence not presented in the first instance to the Magistrate Judge. As such, any letter objection or appeal must cite to the underlying record to demonstrate that the argument or evidence was first presented to the Magistrate Judge. Any appeal or objection must also comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 72 and 28
Source page 14Motion practice
A. Letter Motions. Papers in support and in opposition to letter-motions are limited to 1750 words, and 1050 words for reply briefs. Sur-replies are not permitted. All letter-briefs must be in 12-point font (including footnotes). Only
Source page 14Motion practice
Motions to amend may not be made via letter unless all parties consent to the amendment.
Source page 14Motion practice
B. Premotion Conferences. Premotion conferences are required for all motions brought pursuant to Rule 12, except for such motions which must be made via letter-motion under VI.A, and for motions to amend pleadings. No other motion requires a premotion conference (for example, they are not required
Source page 14Motion practice
for summary judgment motions). Counsel who authored and signed the premotion conference letter (or response) must appear at any conference held on the request.
Source page 15Motion practice
C. Briefing Schedule. For all motions, except for those requiring premotion conferences, motions in limine, Daubert motions, or letter-motions, the parties should file a joint proposed briefing schedule to be so-ordered by the Court.
Source page 15Motion practice
Summary judgment briefing schedules must contain the date of the settlement conference required by Section VI.J.1. For motions requiring premotion conferences, the Court will set the briefing schedule at the conference; motions in limine and Daubert motions are governed by Sections IX.D.1 and VI.M. The deadline for a letter motion is governed by any applicable Rule of Civil Procedure, Local Civil Rule 6.1, and any deadline set by this Court or the assigned Magistrate Judge.
Source page 15Motion practice
D. Bundling Rule. As a courtesy to the Court, no motion papers should be filed on the docket until the motion is fully briefed. The parties should serve their papers on the other parties in accordance with the briefing schedule, and file a letter confirmation on the docket memorializing the same. Once the motion is fully briefed, the moving party is responsible for filing the full set of motion papers via ECF and providing a courtesy copy of all papers required by Section III.F to the Court. For motions implicating Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(4)(A) or similar time-limiting rules of the Federal Rules of Civil or Appellate Procedure, if any party concludes in good faith that delaying the filing of a motion will deprive the party of a substantive right, this bundling rule does not apply; a party may file the motion within the time required by the Federal Rules of Civil or Appellate Procedure, together with an explanation of the basis for the conclusion. This bundling rule does not apply to motions: (1) for default judgment pursuant to Rule 55; (2) post-trial and/or post-judgment motions under Rules 50(b) (for judgment as a matter of law), 52(b) (to amend or make additional findings), 59 (for a new trial), and 60 (for relief from a final judgment, order or proceeding); (3) attorney’s fees pursuant to Rule 54(d)(2); (4) motions involving a pro se litigant;
Source page 15Motion practice
E. Word Limits. Unless the Court orders otherwise, memoranda of law must comply with the word limits as set forth in Local Civil Rule 7.1(c) and the requirement for a certification of compliance with the word limit. Memoranda of law must include sections discussing the relevant background and facts. Parties may not circumvent the word limit by putting relevant facts in a different document. (For example, parties cannot incorporate by reference their Local Rule 56.1 Statements or Counterstatements.) Motions for reconsideration must comply with the word limits set forth in Local Civil Rule 6.3.
Source page 15Filing and working copies
F. Formatting and Citations. Case citations must contain pinpoint cites. All memoranda of law must use reasonable margins, double spacing, and a reasonable font of 12 point or larger, including for footnotes. Legal arguments must be set forth in a memorandum of law rather than in affidavits, affirmations, or declarations. Any papers not complying with these requirements will be rejected. Citations to the docket should be made at the end of the sentence with “Docket Entry (“DE”) [docket number].” Thereafter, any further citations to the docket may be made with a short-cite at the end of the sentence with “DE [docket number].” Parties must provide evidentiary citations, including references to specific pages, in any submission that cites record material. Memoranda of 3500 words or more must contain a table of contents and a table of authorities, neither of which shall count against the word limit.
Source page 16Motion practice
H. Requests for Extensions of Time. Requests for extensions of time must be filed electronically as letter-motions. All requests for extensions must be made in writing, and absent an emergency, at least 48 hours prior to a filing deadline. All requests for extensions of time must state: (1) the original deadlines and proposed new deadlines; (2) the reasons for the extension; (3) whether the application is on consent; and (4) proposed dates for the revised deadline.
Source page 16Motion practice
I. Rule 12 Motions. The following rules apply to all motions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12, except motions which must be made by proceeding
Source page 16Motion practice
1. A premotion conference (“PMC”) is required. See § VI.B. To arrange for such a conference, the moving party should file a letter not exceeding 1750 words setting forth the basis for the motion. No later than seven days following ECF service, the non-moving party may file a letter not exceeding 1750 words opposing the request and contesting the basis for the motion. PMC letters must contain a certification of compliance with these word limits as set forth in Local Civil Rule 7.1. Replies are not permitted.
Source page 16Motion practice
3. When a motion to dismiss is filed, the non-moving party must, within 10 days of receipt of the motion, notify the moving party (and the Court by filing a letter on ECF) whether it intends to file an amended pleading or intends to rely upon the pleading being attacked. Any amended pleading must comply with Local Civil Rule 15.1, and the filing of any amended pleading—even if
Source page 16Motion practice
5. Absent a statutory provision providing otherwise (e.g., the PSLRA), discovery is not stayed automatically upon filing of a motion to dismiss or request for premotion conference for such a motion. A party is obligated to seek a discovery stay from the assigned Magistrate Judge if it wishes to suspend discovery during the pendency of any motion.
Source page 17Motion practice
1. Requirement of Pre-Motion Settlement Conference. Any party seeking to file a motion for summary judgment must first have had a settlement conference with the assigned Magistrate Judge. Failure to request and attend such a conference precludes a party from moving for summary judgment. A party opposing summary judgment may not decline to participate in a settlement conference requested by the moving party, and doing so is grounds for sanctions. See United States v. U.S. Dist. Ct. for N. Mar. I., 694 F.3d 1051, 1057 (9th Cir. 2012) (“[T]he district court has broad authority to compel participation in mandatory settlement conference.”); Bulkmatic Transp. Co. v.
Source page 17Conferences and appearances
Pappas, No. 99-CV-12070, 2002 WL 975625, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. May 9, 2002) (“[I]t is well established that a court can require parties to appear for a settlement conference, and impose sanctions pursuant to Rule 16(f) if a party fails to do so.”) (collecting cases). Attending a private mediation or one arranged through the EDNY’s mediation program does not satisfy this requirement.
Source page 17Communications with chambers
The assigned Magistrate Judge is empowered to hold the conference via video or in-person (telephone conferences do not comply with this requirement). This requirement does not apply to those cases exempt from Rule 16 scheduling orders under Local Civil Rule 16.1.
Source page 17Motion practice
2. Deadlines. Unless ordered otherwise by either Judge Bulsara or the assigned Magistrate Judge, the deadline to submit a proposed summary judgment briefing schedule is 30 days following the close of all discovery. Failure to abide by this deadline will result in waiver of the right to make a summary judgment motion. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(b). The schedule must contain the date of the settlement conference required by Section VI.J.1.
Source page 17Motion practice
early summary judgment motions, contemporaneous with the filing of the proposed briefing schedule, the moving party must file a letter no longer than 700 words directed to why early dispositive motion practice should be permitted. Any party may file a response no longer than 700 words in opposition no later than seven days after the first filing.
Source page 18Motion practice
4. Cross Motions for Summary Judgment. In the case of cross-motions for summary judgment, a consolidated briefing scheme applies. Plaintiff shall serve a motion for summary judgment and supporting papers including a memorandum of law no longer than 8750 words on the deadline ordered by the Court. Defendant will then serve a motion for summary judgment and a memorandum of law of no more than 17,500 words supporting their motion and opposing Plaintiff’s motion. Plaintiff will then serve a memorandum of law of no more than 12,250 words opposing Defendant’s motion and replying to Defendant’s opposition to Plaintiff’s motion. Defendant shall then serve a reply to Plaintiff’s opposition of no more than 3500 words. The papers will then be filed on ECF pursuant to the bundling rule, see § VI.D, and courtesy copies provided as set forth in Section III.F.
Source page 18Filing and working copies
5. Non-Jury Cases. In any non-jury case, the Court will ordinarily not permit summary judgment practice. In such a case, on the date for the submission of a briefing schedule, the parties may submit a joint letter no longer than 700 words, explaining why such practice should be permitted.
Source page 18Motion practice
7. Exhibits. Exhibits to summary judgment motions should be limited to those documents or portions of testimony necessary to the disposition of motions. For example, the parties should not file on ECF entire deposition transcripts or all exhibits used at a deposition. Unnecessary filings will be stricken.
Source page 18Motion practice
1. A premotion conference is required. See § VI.B. To arrange for such a conference, the moving party should file a letter not exceeding 1750 words setting forth the basis for the motion. The party must also submit a redlined version and a clean copy of the proposed amended pleading. No later than seven days following ECF service, the non-moving party may file a letter not exceeding 1750 words opposing the request and contesting the basis for the motion. PMC letters must contain a certification of compliance with these word limits as set forth in Local Civil Rule 7.1. Replies are not permitted.
Source page 18Motion practice
2. Compliance with Local Rule 15.1. Motions to amend must comply with Local Civil Rule 15.1, which requires the motion to include a clean copy of the proposed amended pleading, as well as a version indicating all differences from the original pleading through typographic methods such as redlining.
Source page 19Motion practice
3. Futility Arguments. Parties intending to oppose a motion to amend based entirely on futility grounds are strongly advised to consider alternatively bringing those arguments in a motion to dismiss. While “it is well established that leave to amend a complaint need not be granted when amendment would be futile,” Ellis v. Chao, 336 F.3d 114, 127 (2d Cir. 2003), “[i]n the interests of judicial economy and in the absence of undue prejudice, the Court may decline to engage in a detailed futility analysis where the Court finds that these arguments are better suited for consideration in the context of a motion to dismiss,” Env’t Sols. Assocs. Grp., LLC v. Conopoco, Inc., No. 20-CV-10699, 2021 WL 2075586, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. May 24, 2021) (citation omitted). Parties opposing amendment should strongly consider consenting to the amended complaint, see Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2), and raising any futility arguments in the context of a Rule 12 motion. See, e.g., GGC Int’l Ltd. v. Ver, No. 24-CV-0153, 2025 WL 81319, at *2–*3 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 13, 2025) (granting defendant’s motion to amend his answer and counterclaims and denying plaintiff’s motion to dismiss without prejudice after establishing that doing so would not prejudice plaintiff); Pitman v. Immunovant, Inc., No. 21-CV-0918, 2023 WL 1995018, at *6–*7 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 14, 2023) (granting plaintiff leave to amend and denying defendants’ motions to dismiss after finding that “the better use of the parties’ and the Court’s resources is to have Plaintiff file a third amended complaint drafted with consideration to Defendants’ motions to dismiss”).
Source page 19Communications with chambers
L. Motions for Class Certification. Motions for class certification must be accompanied by a separate statement in numbered paragraphs of the facts and evidence (including expert reports or testimony) on which the moving party relies in its motion. Each statement must be accompanied by specific citations to evidence in the record. The Court will not consider facts or evidence outside of this statement or any unsupported allegation or claim. The papers in opposition to a motion for class certification must also include a similar statement of the facts relied on in opposition. The statement in opposition need not be corresponding or respond to the movant’s statement.
Source page 19Motion practice
M. Motions to Exclude Experts. Motions to exclude testimony of experts, pursuant to Rules 702–705 of the Federal Rules of Evidence and Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 509 U.S. 579 (1993), must be made by the deadline for briefing summary judgment motions and should not be treated as motions in limine. In the proposed briefing schedule for summary judgment motions, the parties may ask the Court to suspend briefing on motions related to experts, if
Source page 19Motion practice
P. Orders to Show Cause and Return Date. Parties should not proceed via orders to show cause or set their own return dates for motions.
Source page 20Motion practice
A. Notification to Adverse Party. The party seeking a temporary restraining order must file, with its motion papers, a letter indicating (a) whether and how it has notified its adversary about the motion; or (b) why the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(b)(1) are satisfied, and notice to the adverse party is not required. Where the motion is made on notice to the adverse party, the moving party must serve the documents (as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 4 or 5, as applicable) on all defendants against whom relief is sought.
Source page 20Communications with chambers
B. Email to Chambers. The moving party must upon filing of the TRO papers send an email to Chambers indicating the timeframe requested for Court action. The email should also provide counsel and witness availability for a preliminary injunction hearing.
Source page 20Motion practice
B. Motion Papers. Counsel for parties in cases must mail hard copies of all motion papers and filings to any pro se litigant, and file proof of service on ECF, regardless of whether the pro se party has opted to receive ECF notifications.
Source page 20Motion practice
Counsel are reminded of their obligations under Local Civil Rules 7.2, 12.1, and 56.2. Any motion implicating these Local Rules must be accompanied by a certification of compliance with these requirements.
Source page 20Adjournments
A. Notice of Trial Date; Schedule of Trial Dates. Following submission of the joint pretrial order, the Court may schedule the trial to commence with only two weeks notice, and absent extraordinary circumstances, adjournments will not be granted. The Court will typically begin trials on a Monday and sit for four days per week.
Source page 21Motion practice
B. Joint Pretrial Orders (“JPTO”). No later than 30 days after the date for the completion of all discovery, or, in the event that a dispositive motion is filed, no later than 30 days after the Court’s ruling on such a motion, the parties must file on ECF, a proposed joint pretrial order that includes the following
Source page 21Trial exhibits and witnesses
8. Any stipulations or statement of facts that have been agreed to by all parties. In a jury case, the parties should memorialize any such statements in a standalone document that can be marked and admitted at trial;
Source page 21Discovery
witnesses will testify in person (or by deposition), whether such witnesses will require an interpreter (and, if so, which party will pay the costs for the interpreter), and a brief summary of the substance of each witness’s testimony. Absent leave, a witness listed by both sides shall testify only once, and the parties should confer on scheduling for such witnesses;
Source page 22Trial exhibits and witnesses
11. A list by each party of exhibits to be offered in evidence. The list must include any exhibits that will be offered only on rebuttal, but does not need to include exhibits to be used solely for impeachment purposes. If a party objects to an exhibit, the objection must be noted and include a citation to the Federal Rule of Evidence that is the basis for the objection. If any party believes that the Court should rule on such an objection in advance of trial, that party should include a notation to that effect (e.g., “Advance Ruling Requested”).
Source page 22Communications with chambers
C. Electronic Copies of Exhibits. By the JPTO deadline, parties must also submit (but not file on ECF): an electronic copy of each exhibit sought to be admitted (with each filename corresponding to the relevant exhibit number— e.g., “PX-1,” “DX-1,” etc.). The electronic copies should be submitted pursuant to the protocol in Section II.D. If submission of electronic copies would be an undue burden on a party, the party may seek leave of the Court (by letter-motion filed on ECF) to submit prospective documentary exhibits in hard copy. Each hard copy must be pre-marked (with an exhibit sticker) and assembled sequentially in a loose-leaf binder (not to exceed 2 1/2 inches in thickness) or in separate manila folders labeled with the exhibit numbers and placed in redweld folders labeled with the case name and docket number.
Source page 22Filing and working copies
D. Required Pretrial Filings. Each party must file on ECF within 30 days
Source page 22Motion practice
1. Motions in Limine. Each party must file a single memorandum of law,
Source page 22Motion practice
addressing all motions in limine filed by that party, and absent leave of Court, subject to the word and format limitations in Sections VI.E and VI.F above. Oppositions to the motions in limine are due no later than 14 days following the filing of the opening brief. Replies are not permitted. No such motion will be considered unless the moving party’s memorandum includes a certification that, prior to filing the motion, the parties conferred, in person or via video, in a good faith effort to resolve the issue(s) asserted in the motion without the intervention of the Court and were unable to reach an agreement.
Source page 23Communications with chambers
2. Requests to Charge; Voir Dire; Verdict Forms. In all jury cases, joint requests to charge, joint proposed verdict forms, and joint voir dire questions must be provided. Absent good reason, the parties should not include proposed language for standard instructions (about, for example, the role of the Court and the jury, the standard of proof, etc.), as the Court is likely to use its own standard instructions; instead, the parties should include a list of standard instructions that they believe are appropriate and focus their attention on case-specific requests to charge. For any request to charge, voir dire question, or verdict entry on which the parties cannot agree, each party should clearly set forth its proposed charge or question, and briefly state why the Court should use its proposed charge or question, with citations to supporting authority. These documents should also be emailed to chambers as Word documents by the deadline.
Source page 23Trial exhibits and witnesses
3. Pretrial Memorandum of Law. If a party believes that a pretrial memorandum of law would be useful to the Court, it shall file such memorandum of law on ECF. Rebuttal or reply memoranda are not permitted, and any memorandum must comply with Section VI.
Source page 23Discovery
4. Deposition Materials. In any non-jury case, each party should submit via email (but not file on ECF) 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 must include page citations to the pertinent pages of the deposition transcripts.
Source page 23Trial exhibits and witnesses
E. Witnesses. No later than the end of each trial day, counsel must notify each other and the Court of witnesses to be called the next trial day.
Source page 23Trial exhibits and witnesses
F. Technology Needs. If a party wishes to use audio-visual equipment at a hearing or trial, it is that party’s responsibility to ensure that any required approvals are obtained and that the necessary equipment is set up and working properly in advance of trial. The party should contact Judge Bulsara’s Courtroom Deputy sufficiently in advance of trial to make the necessary arrangements for a technology walkthrough and to test the equipment.
Source page 23Conferences and appearances
G. Time Limits. In most civil cases, the Court will impose time limits on both sides at the final pretrial conference. The parties’ opening statements (in civil jury trials) and examinations of witnesses will count against their time. The time limits do not apply to jury selection or to summations; the Court may impose separate time limits for summations. The parties should be prepared to address the issue of time limits at the final pretrial conference.
Source page 24Communications with chambers
Written Must occur via letter filed on ECF. II.A 1 Communications
Source page 25Communications with chambers
Call only if parties cannot appear due to emergency and on the day of Telephone Calls II.B 1 the conference. Telephone calls toCommunications chambers otherwise prohibited. with Chambers Ex parte communication prohibited.
Source page 25Conferences and appearances
Notices of Required in every case consistent III.B 2 Appearance with Local Criminal Rule 1.2.
Source page 25Communications with chambers
Voir dire; jury instructions; verdict Microsoft Word forms should also be emailed to III.D 2 Case Related Documents Chambers. Filings Required for all memoranda of law longer than 10 pages/3500 words; Courtesy Copies III.E 2 sentencing submissions; and 3500 material. Otherwise not required.
Source page 25Filing and working copies
Sealed or Redacted Must follow procedures set forth III.F 2–3 Filings and satisfy Lugosch test.
Source page 25Conferences and appearances
Initial Status Counsel should email for IV.B 3 Conference scheduling. Case Scheduling Trial Date Set at second status conference. IV.C 3
Source page 25Adjournments
Must be made 72 hours in advance, Request for including for sentencing or pleas, IV.D 3–4 Adjournment and in writing via letter-motion.
Source page 25Motion practice
No page limits except for in limine motions. Letters longer than 2 Page Limits and pages/700 words must be double VI.A 4–5 Formatting spaced. 12 point font (including footnotes) required for all submissions.
Source page 26Motion practice
Must comply with meet-and-conferLetters, Motions, Discovery Motions requirement of Local Criminal Rule VI.B 5 and Memoranda 16.1
Source page 26Motion practice
Due no later than 45 days prior to trial; must be consolidated briefs; limited to 8750 words for opening Motions in Limine VI.C 5 and response briefs and 3500 words for reply; replies strongly discouraged.
Source page 26Communications with chambers
Requests to Charge; Due 14 days prior to trial; also must Voir Dire; Verdict be emailed to Chambers in MS VII.A.1 5 Forms Word format.
Source page 26Communications with chambers
Electronic form due to Chambers 2 Exhibits VII.A.3 5 days prior to trial.Trial Procedures 3500 Material Must be in hard copy. VII.A.4 6
Source page 26Trial exhibits and witnesses
Must be disclosed by end of each Witnesses VII.B 6 trial day.
Source page 26Trial exhibits and witnesses
Parties should consult courtroom Technology VII.C 6 deputy in advance of trial date.
Source page 26Filing and working copies
21 days prior to sentencing for Timing Defendant; 14 days prior to VIII.A 6 sentencing for Government. Sentencing Should be consolidated submission Letters VIII.B 6 on ECF.
Source page 26Motion practice
These Individual Practices and Rules apply to all criminal cases before Judge Bulsara. A party may seek leave, by filing a letter-motion, for a different rule or procedure to apply to a particular case. In computing time and deadlines set forth in these Individual Practices, parties should consult Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 45.
Source page 27Adjournments
A. Written Communications. Except as otherwise provided below, any communication with the Court must occur via letter filed on ECF. Except for courtesy copies, the Court does not accept hand delivery of any materials, which must be provided to the Court Security Officers at the Central Islip Courthouse lobby. And the Court does not accept faxes. A party making an application for relief via letter (such as a request for an adjournment), should file the letter as a letter-motion on ECF.
Source page 27Adjournments
B. Telephone Calls and Case Related Inquiries. Telephone calls to chambers are prohibited, except for emergency circumstances on the date of a conference. Chambers should only be contacted if on the day of the conference, the parties cannot appear due to an emergency and counsel wish to inform the Court that an electronic application is forthcoming, in which case counsel may contact Judge Bulsara’s deputy, Eddie Manson. Adjournment requests may not be made telephonically.
Source page 27Adjournments
C. Emails to Chambers. The Court’s email address is bulsara_chambers@nyed.uscourts.gov. Any request for an adjournment, even an emergency request, should only be made by letter, not email or telephone. The Court does not respond to email requests or inquiries, or accept documents via email, except for those matters detailed in these rules. Ex parte emails to Chambers are not permitted, and absent good cause, all emails must cc: opposing counsel.
Source page 27Communications with chambers
A. Requirement for ECF Use. Counsel in all cases are required to register for Electronic Case Filing (“ECF”). ECF procedures are available on the Eastern District of New York website. Chambers staff are unable to assist with filing via ECF. For assistance, please call the ECF helpline at (718) 613-2610. Because all orders issued by the Court will be transmitted electronically, attorneys are responsible for keeping their ECF registration current with the Clerk’s Office.
Source page 28Filing and working copies
D. Microsoft Word Documents. In addition to filing the document on ECF, a party should provide Microsoft Word versions of proposed (a) voir dire; (b) jury instructions; and (c) verdict forms to the Court’s email address.
Source page 28Communications with chambers
E. Courtesy Copies. The parties must supply the Court with courtesy copies of any memoranda longer than 3500 words (10 pages), sentencing submissions, and 3500 material, all of which may be mailed to Chambers (express, overnight or hand deliver are not required). Courtesy copies of any other material are not required.
Source page 28Motion practice
F. Sealed or Redacted Filings. There are limited categories of information that may be redacted from public ECF filings without prior permission from the Court: those items listed in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2. All other redactions or filing seal of Court materials require Court approval. In evaluating motions to seal, the Court applies the Second Circuit’s test set forth in Lugosch v.
Source page 28Motion practice
Pyramid Co., 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006). Motions for redaction or sealing should
Source page 28Motion practice
1. A party seeking to file a redacted or sealed document should file a single motion to seal that addresses every document (as separate exhibits) for which sealing or redaction is sought.
Source page 28Motion practice
2. A public version of the motion should attach the exhibits containing limited redactions or an indication that the entire document is sealed, as appropriate. A private version of the motion should be filed under seal with these same documents unredacted in their entirety.
Source page 28Motion practice
3. The motion to seal should be accompanied by a memorandum of law that explains why any material that is redacted or entirely shielded from public view satisfies Lugosch. If the memorandum of law requires redaction, both redacted and unredacted versions of the memorandum, the latter under seal, should be filed.
Source page 29Motion practice
4. Any opposition to a motion to seal must be filed within three days of the filing of the motion to seal and follow the procedures in steps (2) through (3) above.
Source page 29Communications with chambers
B. Status Conferences. Following the assignment of a criminal case to Judge Bulsara, the parties are directed to email chambers, cc:ing all counsel, requesting an initial status conference.
Source page 29Adjournments
C. Trial Dates. At the second status conference, the Court will generally set a firm trial date. The parties should meet and confer to discuss potential trial dates. Once a trial date has been set, it will only be adjourned in exceptional circumstances.
Source page 29Adjournments
D. Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time. Requests for adjournments and for extensions of time—including for sentencing—must be filed electronically as letter-motions. All requests for adjournments of a court
Source page 29Adjournments
Judge Bulsara Individual Practices (Criminal) May 19, 2026 conference, sentencing or plea hearing must be made in writing, and absent an emergency, at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled appearance. All requests for adjournments or extensions of time must state: (1) the original date and proposed new date; (2) the reasons for the adjournment or extension; (3) whether the application is on consent; and (4) proposed dates for the revised deadline or conference.
Source page 30Conferences and appearances
A. Documents in Advance of Change of Plea Hearing. The parties must provide the Court with an electronic copy of the following documents at least three calendar days prior to a change-of-plea hearing, and do so via email to
Source page 30Communications with chambers
C. Documents Following Plea Hearing. Counsel for the Government must email Chambers with an executed copy of the plea agreement following conclusion of the hearing and provide the document in PDF form.
Source page 30Motion practice
Any letter, motion, or submission of any kind, except for letters shorter than 700 words (2 pages) must use reasonable margins, double spacing, and a reasonable font of 12 point or larger, including for footnotes. Case citations must contain pinpoint cites. Legal arguments must be set forth in a memorandum of law
Source page 30Filing and working copies
Judge Bulsara Individual Practices (Criminal) May 19, 2026 rather than in affidavits, affirmations, or declarations. Any papers not complying with these requirements will be rejected. Citations to the docket should be made at the end of the sentence with “Docket Entry (“DE”) [docket number].” Thereafter, any further citations to the docket may be made with a short-cite at the end of the sentence with “DE [docket number].” Memoranda of ten pages or more (3500 words) must contain a table of contents and a table of authorities, neither of which shall count against any page limit.
Source page 31Motion practice
B. Discovery Motions. All discovery motions must comply with Local Criminal Rule 16.1 and contain a certification of the same in the motion papers. Discovery motions should be filed as “letter-motions.”
Source page 31Motion practice
C. Motions in Limine. Any motions in limine, including those directed at evidentiary issues, must be filed no later than 45 days prior to the date of trial, with any opposition due 14 days later, and any reply 7 days thereafter. Each party must file a single consolidated memorandum of law in support of all motions in limine filed by that party. Memoranda of law in support of and in opposition to motions, except for letter-motions, are limited to 8750 words, and reply memoranda are limited to 3500 words. The Court does not prohibit but strongly discourages reply memoranda.
Source page 31Communications with chambers
1. Requests to Charge; Voir Dire; Proposed Verdict Form. Any proposed requests to charge, verdict forms, and voir dire questions must be filed on ECF no later than 14 days prior to trial. Absent good reason, the parties should not include proposed language for standard instructions (about, for example, the role of the Court and the jury, the standard of proof, etc.), as the Court is likely to use its own standard instructions; instead, the parties should include a list of standard instructions that they believe are appropriate and focus their attention on case-specific requests to charge. For any request to charge each party should include citations to supporting authority. These documents should also be emailed to Chambers.
Source page 31Communications with chambers
2. Exhibit Lists. Any exhibit lists must be filed on ECF no later than 7 days prior to trial, and emailed to chambers.
Source page 31Communications with chambers
3. Electronic Copies of Exhibits. The parties must submit to the Court no later than 2 days prior to trial (but not file on ECF): an electronic copy of each exhibit sought to be admitted (with each filename corresponding to the relevant exhibit number — e.g., “GX-1,” “DX-1,” etc.). If submission of
Source page 31Motion practice
Judge Bulsara Individual Practices (Criminal) May 19, 2026 electronic copies would be an undue burden on a party, the party may seek leave of Court (by letter-motion filed on ECF) to submit prospective documentary exhibits in hard copy. Each hard copy shall be pre-marked (that is, with an exhibit sticker) and assembled sequentially in a loose-leaf binder (not to exceed 2 1/2 inches in thickness) or in separate manila folders labeled with the exhibit numbers and placed in redweld folders labeled with the case name and docket number.
Source page 32Trial exhibits and witnesses
4. Section 3500 Material. All 3500 Material must be provided to the Court no later than 2 days prior to trial in hard copy, either assembled sequentially in a binder, or in separately labelled manila folders and placed in redweld folders.
Source page 32Trial exhibits and witnesses
B. Witnesses. No later than the end of each trial day, counsel must notify each other and the Court of witnesses to be called the next trial day.
Source page 32Trial exhibits and witnesses
C. Technology Needs. If a party wishes to use audio-visual equipment at a hearing or trial, it is that party’s responsibility to ensure that any required approvals are obtained and that the necessary equipment is set up and working properly in advance of trial. A list of the technology already set-up in Courtroom 930 can be found in Attachment B. The party should contact Judge Bulsara’s Courtroom Deputy sufficiently in advance of trial to make the necessary arrangements for a technology walkthrough and to test the equipment.
Source page 32Filing and working copies
B. Sentencing Letters. Letters should be grouped and filed together as attachments or exhibits to a sentencing memorandum. A defendant is responsible for filing all letters submitted, including those from friends and relatives.
Source page 32Shared court rules
SDNY and EDNY — Joint Local Civil and Criminal Rules
U.S. District Court for the Eastern 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 Eastern 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 Eastern 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 3, 2026.
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory · effective December 20, 2024 · 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 ↗Individual Practices for Civil and Criminal Cases of Judge Sanket J. Bulsara
Judge Specific source · PDF · U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York · effective May 19, 2026 · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Individual Practices for Civil and Criminal Cases of Judge Sanket J. Bulsara ↗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 ↗