Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle County Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
26 rules from official source documents
10 of 26 checked against the court's document. Each rule says how far it was checked. A value with a question mark is not in the court's wording on its card.
Pre-motion conference and letter requirements before filing motions, including sequential steps. This page is scoped to Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle County; use the court rules overview to switch categories without leaving this court.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026CRITICAL
Counsel must obtain possible oral-argument dates and times from the Administrative Specialist before filing a dispositive or Daubert motion.
Before filing a dispositive motion or a Daubert motion, Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for oral argument through Judge Jones' Administrative Specialist.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026CRITICAL
A motion in limine must be filed at least 45 days before the pretrial conference and noticed for presentation there.
Motions in limine must be filed at least 45 days before the Pretrial Conference, shall be noticed for presentation at the Pretrial Conference, and will be resolved (if appropriate) at that time.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026CRITICAL
Civil cases
Case dispositive motions are scheduled only after briefing is complete, with the date and time obtained from Judge Winston’s Chambers.
Case dispositive motions will be scheduled after all briefing is complete by obtaining a date and time from Judge Winston’s Chambers which can be reached at 255-2549.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026WARNING
Civil cases
Parties may request, and the Court may adopt, a scheduling-order provision requiring leave before filing a summary-judgment motion.
To screen whether summary judgment will be helpful, parties may include in a scheduling order (or the Court may adopt) provisions requiring that parties seek leave before moving for summary judgment.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026WARNING
Civil cases
Oral argument occurs only when scheduled by the court, and the assigned judge sets the scheduled argument's date and time.
(c) Oral argument. There will be no oral argument unless scheduled by the Court, except as may be otherwise expressly provided by statute or rule. (d) Scheduling. Arguments scheduled will be scheduled as to date and time by the assigned judge.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026WARNING
Civil cases
The parties must actively engage in settlement discussions and determine whether the case can be resolved under Civil Rule 16.
The parties are required actively to engage in settlement discussions and determine whether the matter may be resolved in accordance with Civil Rule 16.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026WARNING
Civil cases
A party challenging a confidential-discovery designation must make a good-faith effort to resolve the objection before moving on reasonable notice for an order vacating the designation.
During the pendency of this Litigation, any Party objecting to the designation of any Discovery Material as Confidential Discovery Material may, after ===== PAGE 14 ===== making a good faith effort to resolve any such objection, move on reasonable notice for an order vacating the designation.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026WARNING
Civil cases
The parties must meet and confer in good faith before moving the court for modifications or additional safeguards.
The Parties agree to meet and confer in good faith prior to moving the Court for any modifications or additional safeguards.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026WARNING
Civil cases
Motions in limine must be noticed for presentation at the Pretrial Conference and may be resolved there.
Any motions in limine shall be noticed for presentation at the Pretrial Conference and will be resolved (if appropriate) at that time.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026INFO
Civil cases
The Court will likely decide Daubert motions in limine on the paper record.
The Court will likely decide any Daubert type motions in limine on the paper record.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?
Civil cases
Under one possible procedure, a party wishing to file a motion for summary judgment must file a letter no longer than 1,250 words setting forth the undisputed facts and legal theories that warrant granting summary judgment.
Summary: Under the possible summary-judgment procedure, a party seeking leave must file a summary-judgment letter of no more than 1,250 words identifying the undisputed facts and legal theories supporting the motion.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?
Before filing a dispositive motion or a Daubert motion, Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for oral argument through Judge Brennan's Administrative Specialist.
Summary: Counsel must obtain possible oral-argument dates and times from the Administrative Specialist before filing a dispositive or Daubert motion.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?
Dispositive and Daubert motions shall be noticed at the convenience of the Court. Unless a specific order entered in the case provides otherwise, Counsel should submit a stipulated briefing schedule. After all papers have been submitted, Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for oral argument through Judge Horton's Administrative Specialist.
Summary: Dispositive and Daubert motions must be noticed at the Court's convenience, should have a stipulated briefing schedule, and require counsel to obtain oral-argument dates through the Administrative Specialist after filing all papers.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?
Civil cases
Immediately following the exchange of the proposed Pretrial Stipulation and Order, the parties shall meet and confer in an attempt to reach an agreement on a final Pretrial Stipulation and Order.
Summary: The parties must meet and confer immediately after exchanging proposed pretrial stipulation and order drafts.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?
Civil cases
Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for hearing of such motions from Judge Wallace’s Administrative Specialist before filing of such motion. The parties shall agree upon a proposed date and time and the motion noticed accordingly.
Summary: Before filing a dispositive motion, counsel must obtain possible hearing dates and times from Judge Wallace’s Administrative Specialist, agree on a proposed date and time, and notice the motion accordingly.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?
Civil cases
Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for hearing of such motions from Judge Wallace’s Administrative Specialist before filing of such motion.
Summary: Counsel must obtain possible hearing dates and times from the administrative specialist before filing a dispositive motion.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
4. Routine Motions which can be presented WITHOUT scheduling:
Summary: The listed routine motions may be presented without scheduling.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
Civil cases
Motions in limine shall be noticed for presentation at the Pretrial Conference and will be resolved, wherever possible, at that time.
Summary: Motions in limine must be noticed for presentation at the Pretrial Conference and should be resolved there when possible.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
No replies or surreplies are permitted, without prior permission by the Court.
Summary: Replies and surreplies are not permitted without prior court permission.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
Further briefing and or hearings will be as ordered by the Court.
Summary: Further briefing and hearings on motions will occur only as ordered by the court.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
No Reply is permitted. Further briefing on the motion will be as ordered by the Court.
Summary: No reply is permitted; the Court will order any further briefing on the motion.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
Civil cases
Counsel must obtain possible dates and times for hearing of such motions from Judge Wallace’s Administrative Specialist before filing of such motion. The parties shall agree upon a proposed date and time and the motion noticed accordingly.
Summary: Before filing a dispositive motion, counsel must obtain possible hearing dates and times from Judge Wallace’s Administrative Specialist, agree on a proposed date and time, and notice the motion accordingly.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?
Civil cases
17. The Parties reserve the right to apply, pursuant to Superior Court Civil rule 5(g)(3), upon short notice, for an order seeking additional safeguards with respect to the use and handling of Discovery Material or to modify the terms of this Stipulation. The Parties agree to meet and confer in good faith prior to moving the Court for any modifications or additional safeguards.
Summary: Before moving the court to modify the stipulation or request additional safeguards for discovery material, the parties must meet and confer in good faith.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?
Oral argument is held in administrative appeals only if requested by the Court.
Summary: Administrative-appeal oral argument occurs only if the court requests it.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?
After the motion is filed, the Court will issue a letter establishing a briefing schedule.
Summary: The Court establishes the briefing schedule by letter after the motion is filed.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?
Judge Vavala’s weekly routine motion calendar is on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
Summary: Judge Vavala’s routine motion calendar is held on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
Does Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle County require a pre-motion conference or letter before filing a motion?
Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle County rules set a pre-motion procedure for summary judgment. Parties may request, and the Court may adopt, a scheduling-order provision requiring leave before filing a summary-judgment motion.
Judge Francis J. Jones Jr. and Judge Danielle J. Brennan's rules set a pre-motion procedure for daubert. Counsel must obtain possible oral-argument dates and times from the Administrative Specialist before filing a dispositive or Daubert motion. Machine summary, not yet verified; check the linked order.
Judge Patricia A. Winston's rules set a pre-motion procedure for case dispositive motion. Case dispositive motions are scheduled only after briefing is complete, with the date and time obtained from Judge Winston’s Chambers.
22 more rules answer this question in the list above.
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Maximum page counts and word limits for motions, briefs, and other filings by judge.
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