Judge Mia Roberts Perez
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Adjournments
- Replies and sur-replies must be filed within 7 days of the response.
- Trial pool cases require 48-hour notice; trial date extensions need 30-day written notice.
- Downward departure motions (except § 5K1.1) due 2 weeks before sentencing; § 5K1.1 motions due 1 week before.
Communication
Chambers
Letter via ECF
Clerk
Daily Meeting
Page & Word Limits4 rules
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Any motion and its supporting memorandum of law, as well as opposition briefs, shall not total more than 20 pages.
Summary: Motion and opposition briefs limited to 20 pages total.
Motion
20 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
A sur-reply may only be filed with permission of the Court upon good cause shown and may not exceed 5 pages.
Summary: Sur-replies require court permission and limited to 5 pages.
Sur Reply
5 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Reply briefs in support of a dispositive motion may be submitted without leave of Court. Replies must be responsive to arguments raised by opposing counsel and shall not exceed 7 pages.
Summary: Reply briefs limited to 7 pages without leave of court.
Reply Brief
7 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Important?
Counsel will be permitted a maximum of 30-minutes for opening statements and 45 minutes for closing arguments.
Summary: Opening statements limited to 30 minutes, closing arguments to 45 minutes.
Structured details unavailable. See the source text.
Document Format Requirements1 rule
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
All writings submitted to Judge Perez’s Chambers should be written in 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch page margins.
Summary: All writings to Chambers must use 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins.
Document Filing Requirements10 rules
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
All ECF filings must be text-searchable, including exhibits. Exhibits must be given file names that identify what the document is. When referencing a document on the docket, parties shall refer to that document by its docket number. Any document that is already on the docket should not be used as an exhibit.
Summary: ECF filings must be text-searchable; exhibits need descriptive file names; reference documents by docket number; don't use existing docketed documents as exhibits.
Document Type
Ecf Filing
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Motions for pro hac vice admission must be made using the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s form; this is available on the Court’s website:
Summary: Pro hac vice motions must use the Eastern District of Pennsylvania's official form from the Court's website.
Document Type
Pro Hac Vice Motion
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Parties and intervenors must file a disclosure statement that identifies any third party that is funding any portion of the litigation. This requirement is in addition to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1’s requirements.
Summary: Disclosure statements required to identify third-party litigation funding.
Document Type
Disclosure Statement
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
If the parties are unable to reach a resolution that eliminates the need for a Rule 12 motion, counsel for the moving party shall include, along with the motion, a certification that the parties met and conferred regarding the alleged pleading deficiencies or matter sought to be stricken. The Court will deny any motion that fails to conform with these requirements.
Summary: Certification of pre-motion conference required with Rule 12 motions.
Document Type
Motion
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
All summary judgment motions must be accompanied by a statement of facts that the parties will prepare jointly and that must be separately filed on the docket. All parties must attach a joint list of all exhibits referenced in the statement of facts, in addition to an index of the exhibits.
Summary: Summary judgment motions require jointly prepared statement of facts and exhibit list.
Document Type
Motion
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Counsel shall discuss and agree upon voir dire questions. If necessary, disputes regarding voir dire questions may be submitted to Judge Perez for resolution. Prior to the final pretrial conference, counsel shall submit a joint neutral statement of the facts and joint questions for voir dire, highlighting only the disputed questions. Voir dire should not be more than 15 questions.
Summary: Voir dire limited to 15 questions; joint neutral statement required before final pretrial conference.
Document Type
Voir Dire
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Both the government and the defendant must submit sentencing memorandum no later than one week prior to sentencing. If a defendant is responsible for restitution, the government must include sufficient information in its memorandum to enable the Court to determine entitlement. This includes the name and address of each victim, and the amount of loss for each victim. Documentary support for each amount should also be included.
Summary: Sentencing memoranda due 1 week before sentencing; restitution details required if applicable.
Document Type
Sentencing Memorandum
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?
This process of serving and responding should not be filed with the Court on the docket but must be realized with all other parties.
Summary: Statement of facts process should not be filed on docket but shared with parties.
Document Type
Statement Of Facts
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?
Counsel will determine which exhibits will be given to the jury after it retires to deliberate. If counsel cannot agree, they should request a ruling immediately after the jury retires to the deliberation room.
Summary: Counsel must agree on exhibits for jury; request ruling if unable to agree.
Document Type
Exhibits
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Speaking objections are discouraged and should include only the word “objection” and the relevant rule number. Sidebars will be permitted only sparingly.
Summary: Speaking objections discouraged; sidebars permitted sparingly.
Document Type
Objection
Filing & Service rules
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Threshold motions must be filed before Rule 16 conference.
All motions to dismiss, transfer, or add parties and other threshold motions should be filed before the Rule 16 conference.
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Page 3 | A. RULE 16 CONFERENCES
Pre-motion conference required 7 days before Rule 12 motions (except pro se, bankruptcy, social security cases).
Except in cases where either side is pro se, or in bankruptcy or social security appeals, any party intending to file a motion under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12 must contact opposing counsel to discuss the substance of the contemplated motion and to provide an opportunity to cure any alleged pleading deficiencies or strike certain matter. This conference shall take place at least seven days prior to the filing of the motion.
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Page 5 | B. Conferences Before Filing Rule 12 Motions
Moving party must serve statement of undisputed facts 28 days before summary judgment deadline.
At least 28 days before the deadline to file a motion, the moving party must serve all other parties a statement of undisputed facts in a numbered, paragraph-by-paragraph statement that contains specific citations to the record that support each factual assertion.
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Page 5 | C. Motions for Summary Judgment
Responding party must serve response to undisputed facts 14 days before summary judgment deadline.
At least 14 days before the deadline to file a motion, a responding party must serve on all other parties, a response to the moving party’s statement of facts that responds to each factual assertion. All responses should be directly under the original paragraph of the moving party’s motion and must include citations to any evidence that the responding party believes is necessary to show that the moving party has not cited evidence that supports a factual assertion.
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Page 6 | C. Motions for Summary Judgment
Rule 16 conference scheduled after answer or during preliminary motions.
Judge Perez will schedule a Rule 16 conference once an answer is filed, or in some instances, while a motion to dismiss or another preliminary motion is pending.
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Page 3 | A. RULE 16 CONFERENCES
Moving party may respond to responding party's submissions under each paragraph.
The moving party may then respond to any statement or arguments in the responding party’s submission, directly under the paragraph in question.
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Page 6 | C. Motions for Summary Judgment
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Motions must comply with Scheduling Order in civil cases.
In civil cases, all motions should be filed in compliance with the Scheduling Order.
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Page 4 | A. LENGTH LIMITATIONS
Trial pool cases require 48-hour notice; trial date extensions need 30-day written notice.
Counsel shall comply with all deadlines set forth in the scheduling order. Counsel for cases in the trial pool must be prepared to commence trial upon 48-hours’ notice. Any requests to extend a trial date must be submitted to Chambers in writing 30-days prior to trial.
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Page 6 | A. Scheduling
Downward departure motions (except § 5K1.1) due 2 weeks before sentencing; § 5K1.1 motions due 1 week before.
All motions for downward departure, except motions filed under § 5K1.1 of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, must be filed two weeks prior to sentencing. Such motions should include legal and factual support for the proposed departure. A government motion pursuant to § 5K1.1 must be filed at least one week prior to sentencing.
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Page 7 | F. Sentencing
Replies and sur-replies must be filed within 7 days of the response.
Replies and sur-replies must be filed no later than 7 days after the filing to which it responds, but Judge Perez reserves the right to rule on the motion in the interim.
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Page 4 | A. LENGTH LIMITATIONS
Chambers Communication Rules
Pro se litigants must communicate only through Clerks’ Office, not directly with Chambers.
All pro se communications must be directed to the Clerks’ Office to be docketed. Pro se litigants may not contact Judge Perez or her Chambers directly.
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Page 2 | B. PRO SE (UNREPRESENTED LITIGANTS) COMMUNICATIONS
Chambers communications limited to scheduling/non-substantive matters via phone/email; substantive matters require motion/filing; no ex parte communications on substantive matters.
Judge Perez permits communications with Chambers by telephone or email regarding scheduling and other non-substantive matters. All other issues must be addressed by motion or other filing. Under no circumstances may any party or counsel communicate ex parte with any Chambers personnel concerning substantive matters.
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Page 2 | A. COMMUNICATIONS WITH CHAMBERS
Counsel must meet daily to discuss witness order and inform Court.
During trial, counsel shall meet each morning to discuss between themselves the order in which witnesses will be called and evidence will be presented. Counsel must inform the Court of such order.
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Page 6 | C. Exhibits