Judge Julie Gatti
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
- Not required
Communication
Phone
Chambers
Phone
Clerk
Phone
Court-wideDocument Format Requirements2 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
Counsel must label and exchange the proposed exhibits.
Label and exchange proposed exhibits.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
Each proposed jury instruction must appear on a separate sheet.
Each instruction shall be on a separate sheet.
Document Filing Requirements16 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
A party seeking to amend a witness list within 28 days of trial must obtain leave of court.
Witness lists may not be amended without leave of the court within 28 days of trial.
Document Type
Trial Witness List
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
All motions in limine must be timely filed and served with a hearing notice set for the time and date of final pretrial.
Timely file and serve all motions in limine with notice of hearing set for the time and date of final pre-trial.
Document Type
Motion In Limine
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
Counsel may not provide only the numbers of the proposed jury instructions.
Simply providing jury instruction numbers is not permitted.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
Unresolved objections from de bene esse depositions must be submitted with supporting law and argument by final pretrial.
If de bene esse depositions have been taken and the parties are unable to resolve objections therein, the parties shall submit to the Judge and opposing counsel no later than the date of final pre-trial, the objections with supporting law, including argument.
Document Type
Deposition Objections
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
Trial witness lists must identify actual or probable witnesses, indicate whether they will appear in person or by deposition, provide specified medical-expert details, and include names and addresses of expert witnesses who may be called.
Counsel shall file trial witness lists of actual and/or probable witnesses, indicating if in person or by deposition and, for medical experts, the hospital and office where the witness practices and his or her specialty. A party must provide the names and addresses of any expert witnesses that may be called to trial.
Document Type
Trial Witness List
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
After adjournment approval, counsel must electronically file a stipulation and proposed order containing the new dates and signed by all counsel.
After approval, a stipulation and proposed order for adjournment which includes the new date(s) and is signed by all counsel shall be e-filed.
Document Type
Adjournment Order
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
The motion requesting alternate service must be verified and accompanied by a proposed order.
Requests for alternate service must be accompanied by a verified motion, proposed order, an affidavit of the process server showing reasonable efforts to make service of process and a postal verification.
Document Type
Alternate Service Motion
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
After the court rules on a motion, the parties must sign and submit a proposed order.
Following the Court’s ruling on a motion, parties shall sign and submit a proposed order.
Document Type
Motion
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Important
For a jury trial, counsel should, to the extent possible, provide completed typed jury instructions and a proposed jury verdict form to the court and all counsel.
If a jury trial, to the extent possible, have completed, typed jury instructions, including a proposed jury verdict form for the Court and all counsel.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Note
Photocopied standard civil and criminal jury instructions are acceptable if all blanks and specified alternatives are completed.
Photocopies of completed M Civ JI’s and M Crim JI’s are acceptable provided that blank spaces are completed and any alternatives in the instructions are chosen, including paragraph 4 of M Civ JI 2.02 (nature of civil claims) and M Crim JI 2.4 (elements of the charge).
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Counsel shall have stipulations for entry or stated reasons for objections.
Summary: Counsel must prepare stipulations for exhibit entry or state reasons for objecting to proposed exhibits.
Document Type
Exhibits
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
If cases or statutes are cited, a photocopy of the case or statute shall be attached.
Summary: Any case or statute cited in a bench trial brief must be attached in photocopy form.
Document Type
Trial Brief
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Submit a Trial Brief containing a brief statement of facts, issues, theory of case and memorandum of law.
Summary: A bench trial requires a trial brief containing a statement of facts, issues, theory of the case, and memorandum of law.
Document Type
Trial Brief
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Prepare stipulations in writing, if any.
Summary: Any stipulations for a bench trial must be prepared in writing.
Document Type
Stipulation
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
All new dates must be listed in the order or it will be rejected.
Summary: A scheduling-order amendment must list every new date or it will be rejected.
Document Type
Scheduling Order
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Note?
Whenever practicable, copies shall be furnished to the Court and opposing counsel for use during the trial.
Summary: When practicable, copies of proposed exhibits should be furnished to the court and opposing counsel for use at trial.
Document Type
Exhibits
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing is mandatory for all current e-File cases and for new civil matters in the listed case types assigned to Judge Gatti.
Electronic filing is mandatory for all current e-File cases and new civil matters with “C”, “N”, “AA”, “AE”, “AP”, “AR”, “AV”, or "P" case-types assigned to Judge Gatti.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | e-Filing
Pleading documents must be filed electronically through the Court's e-filing website.
Pleading documents must be filed electronically on the Court’s eFiling website: https://mifile.courts.michigan.gov.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | e-Filing
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Deposition objections filed on the trial day generally will not be entertained, although good cause may permit consideration.
Objections to depositions filed on the day of trial will not be entertained except for good cause shown.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | BEFORE PRE-TRIAL
Unresolved deposition objections must be submitted to the judge and opposing counsel no later than the final pretrial date.
If de bene esse depositions have been taken and the parties are unable to resolve objections therein, the parties shall submit to the Judge and opposing counsel no later than the date of final pre-trial, the objections with supporting law, including argument.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | BEFORE PRE-TRIAL
Trial witness lists must be filed 28 days before trial.
1. TRIAL WITNESS LISTS FILED TWENTY-EIGHT (28) DAYS PRIOR TO TRIAL DATE
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | BEFORE PRE-TRIAL
Motions in limine set for hearing on the trial day generally will not be entertained, although good cause may permit consideration.
Motions filed to be heard on the day of trial will not be entertained except for good cause shown.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | BEFORE PRE-TRIAL
Service and Proof of Service Rules
An alternate-service request must include a verified motion, proposed order, process-server affidavit describing reasonable service efforts, and postal verification.
Requests for alternate service must be accompanied by a verified motion, proposed order, an affidavit of the process server showing reasonable efforts to make service of process and a postal verification.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Alternate service
Filing Fees and Waivers
When case evaluation is scheduled within 14 days of the order, the adjournment fee must be paid before entry and is allocated pro rata unless otherwise agreed or ordered.
If case evaluation has already been scheduled to occur within 14 days of the order, the adjournment fee must be paid prior to entry. Any such fee will be divided between the parties on a pro-rata basis unless otherwise agreed by the parties or ordered by the Court.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | Case Evaluation
When a case-evaluation hearing falls within 14 days after the adjournment is granted, the parties must pay a $150 adjournment fee before submitting the order for entry.
If a Case Evaluation Hearing is scheduled within 14 days of granting the adjournment, the parties must pay the $150.00 adjournment fee prior to submitting the order for entry.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Scheduling order
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Judge's courtesy copies of motions are not required.
***NO JUDGE'S COPIES OF MOTIONS REQUIRED***
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Motions
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
After the second adjournment, any request to extend dates must be made by motion and will be granted only by court order in the court’s discretion.
(5) Additional Adjournments. Beyond the 2nd adjournment, any additional request to extend dates must be made by motion, and shall only be granted by order in the discretion of the Court.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | Additional Adjournments
A trial adjournment must be requested by motion with all counsel present, and a new trial date is provided only if the request is granted.
Adjournment of trials must be brought by motion with all counsel appearing as a new trial date will be provided if the request is granted.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Adjournments
An extension of time to file an appellate brief cannot be obtained by stipulation and instead requires a motion.
No stipulation for extension of time to file briefs on appeal will be accepted. The party seeking the extension must file a motion.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Appeals
For the first request, the court permits up to two 60-day extensions of the Discovery and Case Evaluation Order dates by party stipulation.
For the first request, Judge Gatti will permit up to two 60-day extensions of the dates set forth in the Discovery and Case Evaluation Order by stipulation of the parties (you may use this form).
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Scheduling order
Any extension request after the first request must be made by motion and is granted only upon a showing of good cause.
Any subsequent requests to extend the scheduling order dates must be made by motion and will only be granted upon a showing of good cause.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Scheduling order
Chambers Communication Rules
Counsel must schedule with the judge’s secretary before the trial day to test any media equipment intended for use in court.
To ensure the Court’s media equipment is compatible, Counsel must schedule with the Judge’s secretary, before the day of trial, a time to test any media equipment counsel intends to use.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 2 | ON THE DAY OF TRIAL
The clerk or secretary handles motion adjournments.
Adjournments of motions are handled by the clerk (Jessica (586) 463-2458) or secretary (Bridget (586) 493-5752).
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Adjournments
Routine requests to adjourn scheduled events are handled by the judge's judicial secretary by telephone.
Adjournment requests of scheduled events are routinely handled by the Judge’s judicial secretary (Bridget (586) 493-5752).
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Policies and procedures — Adjournments