Procedures verified June 25, 2026
Chief Magistrate Judge William Matthewman -- United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 701 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Do NOT call or email chambers to request a discovery hearing -- this is explicitly prohibited. Hearing scheduling is done by the court after reviewing the fully briefed motion. Contacting chambers for a hearing schedule is a Model A/B move that does not apply here.
- 2. Email conferral alone is insufficient. You must personally speak with opposing counsel by phone or in-person before filing a discovery motion. A sent email with no response does not satisfy the conferral requirement.
- 3. Settlement conference: the party attending must have full settlement authority. Sending an attorney with limited authority is a violation.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | No standing motion calendar. Court decides whether to hold a hearing after reviewing the fully briefed motion. Parties may not contact chambers to request a discovery hearing -- this is handled by the motion process. [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 motion and incorporated memorandum. [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. [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 | Settlement conferences: Zoom by default unless the court finds in-person appropriate. |
| Discovery | This judge is the assigned magistrate judge for discovery disputes referred by the district court. Judge Matthewman operates under the Model C pathway: conduct good-faith personal conferral, then file a discovery motion. [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. Court decides whether to hold a hearing after reviewing the fully briefed motion. Parties may not contact chambers to request a discovery hearing -- this is handled by the motion process. [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 motion and incorporated memorandum. [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. [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. [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. Court decides after full briefing. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(2)]
Remote Appearances
Settlement conferences: Zoom by default unless the court finds in-person appropriate.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Parties may not contact chambers to request a discovery hearing. Do not call chambers for hearing scheduling -- file the motion and let the court decide. Law clerk routing: even-numbered cases to Nicole Odrobina; odd-numbered cases to Natalie Rickards. [Judge Matthewman -- Chambers Procedures]
Discovery Referral
This judge is the assigned magistrate judge for discovery disputes referred by the district court. Judge Matthewman operates under the Model C pathway: conduct good-faith personal conferral, then file a discovery motion. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(3)]
Discovery Dispute Procedure District-default
Model C -- Traditional. File motion after good-faith personal conferral (in-person or phone required; email alone is insufficient). Court determines whether to hold a hearing after full briefing. Parties may not contact chambers to request a hearing -- the motion is the operative gateway. A sample discovery procedure order is issued in each case upon referral. [Judge Matthewman -- Chambers Procedures]
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
Settlement conferences: Zoom by default unless court finds in-person appropriate. Requires party with full settlement authority. A confidential pre-conference memo is required (deadline set in the conference order). Read the conference order for memo requirements. [Judge Matthewman -- Chambers Procedures]
Lead Counsel
Not specified.
Under Seal Filings
Per S.D. Fla. L.R. 5.4.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Per Local Rules. Contact chambers to reschedule any hearing set.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
Sources: Judge Matthewman's chambers page (6 tabs) and Sample Discovery Procedure Order PDF. Chief Magistrate Judge. West Palm Beach division. Law clerk routing: even cases to Nicole Odrobina, odd cases to Natalie Rickards. Settlement conferences via Zoom by default.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 25, 2026.
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