Procedures verified June 25, 2026
Magistrate Judge Panayotta Augustin-Birch -- United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
Broward County Courthouse, 299 E. Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. The chambers scheduling process requires a PHONE CALL -- not email. Call (954) 769-5460, get a proposed date, confirm with opposing counsel, call back to finalize, THEN file the motion same day. Emailing for scheduling is not the procedure.
- 2. Conferral emails between counsel are not evidence and must not be filed with the court. Do not attach or reference them in your briefing -- address any conferral disputes orally at the hearing.
- 3. Only one discovery motion per hearing without prior court authorization. If you have multiple disputes, you must get authorization to bring more than one at a time.
- 4. The 3-page motion limit is hard. Background case facts go in the pleadings -- the court reviews those itself. Use the 3 pages for the specific dispute, legal authority, and conferral certificate.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | No standing motion calendar. Call chambers at (954) 769-5460 to schedule hearing; confirm with all counsel; call back to finalize; file motion same day finalized. First hearing via Zoom. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(1)] |
| Motion Limit | Per Local Rules (S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)): 20 pages maximum for non-discovery motions. For discovery disputes, hard limit is 3 pages. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)] |
| Reply Limit | Per Local Rules (S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)): 10 pages maximum for non-discovery motions. Discovery replies: 2 pages within 1 business day. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)] |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Not required. |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. FL-SD does not use a tentative ruling system. |
| Remote Appearances | First discovery hearing via Zoom. Subsequent hearings may be in person. |
| Discovery | This judge is the assigned magistrate judge for discovery disputes referred by the district court. Judge Augustin-Birch operates under Model B: call chambers, confirm the hearing date with all counsel, then file a 3-page motion the same day the date is finalized. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(3)] |
Procedural Briefing by Motion Type
C.D. Cal. · Standing Orders
Procedural Requirements
Key Traps
Compare to Other C.D. Cal. Judges
Procedural facts only. Judges shown to illustrate variance in this district.
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
No standing motion calendar. Call chambers at (954) 769-5460 to schedule hearing; confirm with all counsel; call back to finalize; file motion same day finalized. First hearing via Zoom. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(1)]
Notice Period
Per Local Rules. Discovery disputes governed by the 28-day window under S.D. Fla. L.R. 26.1(g). [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(1)]
Motion Page / Word Limit
Per Local Rules (S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)): 20 pages maximum for non-discovery motions. For discovery disputes, hard limit is 3 pages. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)]
Opposition Limit
Per Local Rules (S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)): 20 pages maximum for non-discovery motions. Discovery responses: 3 pages within 2 business days. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)]
Reply Limit
Per Local Rules (S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)): 10 pages maximum for non-discovery motions. Discovery replies: 2 pages within 1 business day. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(c)(2)]
Font & Formatting
Per S.D. Fla. L.R. 5.1 (double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point).
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Not required.
Proposed Orders
Per Local Rules (S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(a)(2)): Word format emailed to chambers per CM/ECF Administrative Procedures. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(a)(2)]
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not issued. FL-SD does not use a tentative ruling system.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
N/A.
Oral Argument
No hearing unless set by the Court. Discovery hearings: call chambers to schedule after conferral. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(2)]
Remote Appearances
First discovery hearing via Zoom. Subsequent hearings may be in person.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Call chambers at (954) 769-5460 to schedule discovery hearings. Do not email for scheduling -- the procedure requires a phone call with callback to finalize. Do not file any materials arguing about the conferral emails; conferral emails are not evidence and should not be filed or referenced.
Discovery Referral
This judge is the assigned magistrate judge for discovery disputes referred by the district court. Judge Augustin-Birch operates under Model B: call chambers, confirm the hearing date with all counsel, then file a 3-page motion the same day the date is finalized. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(3)]
Discovery Dispute Procedure District-default
Model B -- Chambers-first, then 3-page motion same day. Required sequence: (1) Personal conferral (in-person, phone, or videoconference; email alone is insufficient). (2) Call chambers at (954) 769-5460 to schedule a hearing. (3) Confirm the proposed date with opposing counsel. (4) Call chambers back to finalize the date. (5) File the discovery motion on the same day the date is finalized. Briefing limits: Motion no more than 3 pages (filed same day hearing finalized); response no more than 3 pages within 2 business days; reply no more than 2 pages within 1 business day. Only one discovery motion per hearing absent prior court authorization. Motion must: state dispute specifics; cite best legal authority; certify conferral; and attach ALL source materials (interrogatories, responses, etc.). Do not use briefing to explain case background -- court will review pleadings and docket itself. Court may rule without holding a hearing after full briefing -- if it does, the scheduled hearing is canceled. First hearing via Zoom; subsequent hearings may be in person. [Augustin-Birch Standing Discovery Order PDF]
Ex Parte Applications
Per S.D. Fla. L.R. 5.4(d): Include 'ex parte' in title; restricted from public docket upon submission. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 5.4(d)]
Settlement Notification
Not specifically addressed in published procedures. Follow the district judge's settlement instructions in your case.
Lead Counsel
Not specified. Next-gen attorneys policy is present in published Standing Discovery Order.
Under Seal Filings
Per S.D. Fla. L.R. 5.4.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Per Local Rules. Contact chambers by phone to reschedule any hearing set.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
Sources: Judge Augustin-Birch's Standing Discovery Order PDF (6 pages). Fort Lauderdale division. Model B. Chambers phone number: (954) 769-5460. Hearing sequence requires two phone calls to chambers: one to get a proposed date, one to finalize. First hearing via Zoom.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 25, 2026.
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