Court Rules
Magistrate Judge

Judge Patrick M. Hunt

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Southern District of Florida

Limits & Logistics

Document Limits

Daubert Motion
20 pgs
Motion In Limine
20 pgs
Discovery Motion
5 pgs
Response To Discovery Motion
5 pgs
Reply To Discovery Motion
5 pgs

Communication

Phone

Chambers

(954) 769-5470
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantDiscoveryExhibitsMemorandaPage LimitsEvidence/WitnessesLettersJury

Page & Word Limits5 rules

Page LimitsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

Each party is limited to filing one Daubert motion. If all evidentiary issues cannot be addressed in a 20-page memorandum, leave to exceed the page limit will be granted upon a showing of good cause. The parties are reminded that Daubert motions must contain the Local Rule 7.1(a)(3) certification.

Summary: Each party limited to one Daubert motion with 20-page limit, certification required.

Daubert Motion

20 pages

Applies to: Attorney

Page LimitsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

Each party is limited to filing one motion in limine. If all evidentiary issues cannot be addressed in a 20-page memorandum, leave to exceed the page limit will be granted upon a showing of good cause. The parties are reminded that motions in limine must contain the Local Rule 7.1(a)(3) certification.

Summary: Each party limited to one motion in limine with 20-page limit, certification required.

Motion In Limine

20 pages

Applies to: Attorney

Page LimitsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

The moving party shall file a reply to the response, which is not to exceed five pages in length.

Summary: Replies to discovery motion responses limited to 5 pages.

Reply To Discovery Motion

5 pages

Applies to: Attorney

Page LimitsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

The nonmoving party shall file a response to the motion, which is not to exceed five pages in length.

Summary: Responses to discovery motions limited to 5 pages.

Response To Discovery Motion

5 pages

Applies to: Attorney

Page LimitsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

The motion shall not exceed five pages in length.

Summary: Discovery motions limited to 5 pages.

Discovery Motion

5 pages

Applies to: Attorney

Document Filing Requirements17 rules

Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

Any party intending to use deposition testimony as substantive evidence must designate by line and page reference those portions in writing. The designations must be served on opposing counsel and filed with the Court fourteen days before the deadline to file the joint pretrial stipulation. The adverse party must serve and file any days to serve and file objections to the cross-designations.

Summary: Deposition designations must be filed 14 days before joint pretrial deadline.

Document Type

Deposition Designation

Content & Formatting
Certificate Of Service
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

All trial exhibits must be pre-marked. Plaintiffs’ exhibits must be marked numerically with the letter “P” as a prefix. Defendants’ exhibits must be marked alphabetically with the letter “D” as a prefix. A list setting out all exhibits must be submitted at the beginning of trial. This list must indicate the pre-marked identification label (e.g., P-1 or D-1) and must also include a brief description of the exhibit.

Summary: Trial exhibits must be pre-marked with P or D prefixes and listed at trial start.

Document Type

Trial Exhibit

Content & Formatting
Exhibit List
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

If this case will proceed by jury trial, the parties shall submit their proposed jury instructions and verdict form jointly, although they need not agree on each proposed instruction. Where the parties do not agree on a proposed instruction, that instruction shall be set forth in bold type. Instructions proposed only by Plaintiff shall be underlined. Instructions proposed only by Defendant shall be italicized. Every instruction must be supported by citation to authority. The parties shall use as a guide the Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instruction for Civil Cases, including the directions to counsel contained therein. Proposed jury instructions and verdict form, in typed form, including substantive charges and defenses, shall be submitted to this Court in Microsoft Word format via e-mail to: hunt@flsd.uscourts.gov. Instructions for filing proposed documents may be viewed at: http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Summary: Jury instructions must be jointly submitted in Word format with specific formatting and citations.

Document Type

Jury Instructions

Content & Formatting
Table Of Authorities
JudgeHunt-Sample-Order-on-Trial-Instructions · p. 2
|SecJury Instructions and Verdict Form
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

All objections to discovery requests must be specific. The parties shall not make generalized, vague, or boilerplate objections. Nonspecific objections do not comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the Local Rules and will not be sustained by this Court. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 33(b)(4) (“The grounds for objecting to an interrogatory must be stated with specificity.”); Fed. R. Civ. P. 34(b)(2)(B) (“For each item or category, the response must either state that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested or state an objection to the request, including the reasons.” (emphasis added)); S.D. Fla. L.R. 26.1(g)

Summary: All discovery objections must be specific and cannot be generalized, vague, or boilerplate.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

a party objecting on these grounds must explain the specific and particular way in which a request is vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome.

Summary: Objections based on vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome grounds must explain the specific reasons.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

If there is an objection based upon an unduly broad scope, such as timeframe or geographic location, discovery should be provided as to those matters within the scope that is not disputed.

Summary: For scope objections, provide discovery within undisputed scope parameters.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

Objections that state that a discovery request is Avague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome@ are, standing alone, meaningless and will be found meritless by this Court.

Summary: Objections based solely on vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome grounds are meritless.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

an objection that a discovery request is irrelevant and/or not reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence must include a specific explanation describing why the request lacks relevance and/or why the information sought is not reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence.

Summary: Relevance objections must include specific explanation of why request lacks relevance or is not reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

THIS COURT MAY DECLINE TO CONSIDER ANY FILING THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THIS ORDER.

Summary: Court may decline to consider any filing that does not comply with this order.

Document Type

Motion

Content & Formatting
Local Rule Certificate
JudgeHunt-SampleDiscoveryOrder · p. 5
|SecE. Expenses, Including Attorney’s Fees
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?

The movant shall include in the motion a certificate of good faith that complies with S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(a)(3) and that specifically indicates the efforts that were made to resolve the dispute prior to filing the motion.

Summary: Discovery motions must include certificate of good faith per S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(a)(3).

Document Type

Discovery Motion

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Important?

if a party believes that a request is vague, the party shall attempt to obtain clarification prior to objecting on this ground.

Summary: Parties must attempt to obtain clarification before objecting on vagueness grounds.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Important?

This Court reminds the parties and counsel that if the motion is granted, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(5) requires this Court to award to the moving party all reasonable expenses incurred in making the motion, including attorney’s fees, absent an exception.

Summary: If motion is granted, court must award reasonable expenses including attorney’s fees under FRCP 37(a)(5).

Document Type

Motion

Content & Formatting
Local Rule Certificate
JudgeHunt-SampleDiscoveryOrder · p. 5
|SecE. Expenses, Including Attorney’s Fees
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?

if discovery is sought nationwide for a ten-year period, and the responding party objects on the grounds that only a five-year period limited to activities in the State of Florida is appropriate, the responding party shall provide responsive discovery falling within the five-year period as to the State of Florida.

Summary: Example: For nationwide/10-year request, provide 5-year FL discovery if that's the disputed scope.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?

The parties are reminded that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allow for broad discovery that need not be necessarily admissible at trial. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(1); Oppenheimer Fund, Inc. v. Sanders, 437 U.S. 340, 350–51 (1978).

Summary: Federal Rules allow broad discovery that need not be admissible at trial.

Document Type

Discovery Response

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?

The responding party may also attach as exhibits any materials relevant to the discovery dispute.

Summary: Exhibits may be attached to responses to discovery motions.

Document Type

Response To Discovery Motion

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?

The moving party may only attach to the reply exhibits that are relevant to rebut the response.

Summary: Replies to discovery motions limited to rebuttal exhibits.

Document Type

Reply To Discovery Motion

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?

The moving party may attach as exhibits to the motion any materials relevant to the discovery dispute.

Summary: Exhibits may be attached to discovery motions.

Document Type

Discovery Motion

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.

Filing & Service rules

Adjournment & Extension Requirements

Motion must be filed within 30 days; response within 5 business days; reply within 3 business days.

Pursuant to Local Rule 26.1(g), the motion shall be filed within thirty (30) days of from identified dates. The response shall be filed on or before the fifth business day following the date the motion was filed. The reply, if any, shall be filed on or before the third business day following the filing of the response. The time period for filing a response or reply will begin to run on, and shall include, the first business day following the filing of the motion or response. For example, if the motion is filed on a Monday, the response shall be filed by the following Monday. If the response is filed on a Friday, the reply shall be filed by the following Wednesday.

Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases

Page 5 | D. Time for Filing

FRCP 6(d) does not apply to time calculations in this discovery order.

For the purposes of calculating time per this Court’s discovery Order, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6(d) does not apply. To the extent that the docket reflects a different time or date to respond or reply, the timeframes in this Order are controlling.

Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases

Page 5 | D. Time for Filing

Chambers Communication Rules

Settlement must be reported promptly by phone or email.

If this matter is settled, counsel are directed to inform this Court promptly via telephone ((954) 769-5470) and/or email (hunt@flsd.uscourts.gov).

Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases

Page 2 | Settlement

About United States Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt

**Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt** was appointed to the Southern District of Florida on January 28, 2013, filling the seat vacated by Hon. Robin S. Rosenbaum. He spent approximately two decades as an assistant federal public defender for the Southern District of Florida, with assignments in both Fort Lauderdale and Miami, before his appointment to the bench. As a law student he served on the University of Miami Law Review. **Education** - University of Miami School of Law, J.D., 1985 - Tulane University, B.A. **Career** - U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of Florida, 2013–present - Assistant Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Florida (approximately 20 years) - Associate, Law Office of Joseph Beeler, Miami

**Division:** Fort Lauderdale **Courthouse:** U.S. Federal Building and Courthouse, 299 East Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 **Chambers:** Room 310A **Assigned Courtroom:** 310B **Phone:** (954) 769-5470 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: Ruth Bissainthe, (954) 769-5421 - Law Clerk: Kaylyn Ling, (954) 769-5470 - Law Clerk: Heath Hooper, (954) 769-5471

Common questions about Judge Patrick M. Hunt's rules

What page or word limits apply to daubert motion before Judge Patrick M. Hunt?

Judge Patrick M. Hunt's rule states these limits: attorney: 20 pages. Each party limited to one Daubert motion with 20-page limit, certification required.

What page or word limits apply to motion in limine before Judge Patrick M. Hunt?

Judge Patrick M. Hunt's rule states these limits: attorney: 20 pages. Each party limited to one motion in limine with 20-page limit, certification required.

What must be included with trial exhibit filings before Judge Patrick M. Hunt?

The rule requires exhibit list. Trial exhibits must be pre-marked with P or D prefixes and listed at trial start.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Trial Exhibits

What must be included with deposition designation filings before Judge Patrick M. Hunt?

The rule requires certificate of service. Deposition designations must be filed 14 days before joint pretrial deadline.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Deposition Designations

How may parties contact Judge Patrick M. Hunt's chambers?

The rule addresses phone communications with Judge Patrick M. Hunt's chambers. The rule lists phone (954) 769-5470. Settlement must be reported promptly by phone or email.

View ruleSource: page 2, section Settlement

How do I request an adjournment or extension before Judge Patrick M. Hunt?

Advance notice is not fully stated in the structured details. Motion must be filed within 30 days; response within 5 business days; reply within 3 business days.

View ruleSource: page 5, section D. Time for Filing
Complete rules summary for Judge Patrick M. Hunt

Trial exhibits must be pre-marked with P or D prefixes and listed at trial start.

Deposition designations must be filed 14 days before joint pretrial deadline.

Jury instructions must be jointly submitted in Word format with specific formatting and citations.

Settlement must be reported promptly by phone or email.

Each party limited to one Daubert motion with 20-page limit, certification required.

Each party limited to one motion in limine with 20-page limit, certification required.

All discovery objections must be specific and cannot be generalized, vague, or boilerplate.

Objections based solely on vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome grounds are meritless.

Objections based on vague, overly broad, or unduly burdensome grounds must explain the specific reasons.

Parties must attempt to obtain clarification before objecting on vagueness grounds.

For scope objections, provide discovery within undisputed scope parameters.

Example: For nationwide/10-year request, provide 5-year FL discovery if that's the disputed scope.

Relevance objections must include specific explanation of why request lacks relevance or is not reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence.

Federal Rules allow broad discovery that need not be admissible at trial.

Discovery motions limited to 5 pages.

Responses to discovery motions limited to 5 pages.

Replies to discovery motion responses limited to 5 pages.

Exhibits may be attached to discovery motions.

Exhibits may be attached to responses to discovery motions.

Replies to discovery motions limited to rebuttal exhibits.

Discovery motions must include certificate of good faith per S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(a)(3).

FRCP 6(d) does not apply to time calculations in this discovery order.

If motion is granted, court must award reasonable expenses including attorney’s fees under FRCP 37(a)(5).

Court may decline to consider any filing that does not comply with this order.

Motion must be filed within 30 days; response within 5 business days; reply within 3 business days.

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