Procedures verified June 25, 2026
Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid -- United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse, 400 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33128
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Filing a Rule 37 discovery motion without first contacting chambers for a hearing date will result in it being stricken. Model A requires leave of court before any written discovery motion.
- 2. Email conferral alone does not satisfy the conferral requirement. A sent email with no response is not enough -- you must personally speak with opposing counsel by phone or in-person before seeking chambers intervention.
- 3. Do not wait until one month before the discovery cutoff to begin discovery. Judge Reid's published guidance explicitly warns against this; courts will not grant extensions for strategic delay.
- 4. A case-specific standing discovery order will be issued upon referral. Read it before taking any discovery steps -- it may impose specific procedures beyond the general Model A framework.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | No standing motion calendar. Hearings set by the court as needed. For discovery disputes, contact chambers to schedule a hearing after personal conferral -- do not file a motion without leave of court. [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 | Not specified in published procedures. |
| Discovery | This judge is the assigned magistrate judge for discovery disputes referred by the district court. Judge Reid operates under the Model A pathway: no written discovery motion without leave of court. [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. Hearings set by the court as needed. For discovery disputes, contact chambers to schedule a hearing after personal conferral -- do not file a motion without leave of court. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(1)]
Notice Period
Per Local Rules. For discovery disputes, all disputes must be raised within the 28-day window under S.D. Fla. L.R. 26.1(g) -- counted from the date of the at-issue discovery response or withholding. [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 for routine motions. [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 held unless set by the Court. For discovery disputes, contact chambers to request a hearing after completing personal conferral. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(2)]
Remote Appearances
Not specified in published procedures.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Contact chambers to schedule discovery hearings after personal conferral -- not before conferral, and not by filing a motion. Do not call chambers seeking an immediate ruling during a deposition. [Judge Reid -- Chambers Procedures]
Discovery Referral
This judge is the assigned magistrate judge for discovery disputes referred by the district court. Judge Reid operates under the Model A pathway: no written discovery motion without leave of court. [S.D. Fla. L.R. 7.1(b)(3)]
Discovery Dispute Procedure District-default
Model A -- No motion without leave. Written discovery motions are not permitted without leave of Court. Required sequence: (1) Confer personally -- in-person or telephone required; email alone is not sufficient and a sent email that received no response does not constitute adequate conferral. (2) If unresolved, contact Chambers to schedule a hearing. (3) Court issues a standing discovery order upon referral with case-specific procedures -- read it before taking any steps. Do not file a Rule 37 motion before receiving leave. Judge Reid will not certify conferral based on email alone. Attorneys with 5 or fewer years of experience are encouraged to argue, especially at discovery hearings. [Judge Reid -- 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
Not specifically addressed in published procedures. Follow the district judge's settlement instructions in your case.
Lead Counsel
Not specified. Attorneys with 5 or fewer years of experience are encouraged to argue, particularly at discovery hearings.
Under Seal Filings
Per S.D. Fla. L.R. 5.4.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Per Local Rules. Contact chambers to reschedule any hearing already set.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
Sources: Judge Reid's chambers page (4 inline tabs) and the Discovery Procedures Sample Order PDF. Judge Reid is a Model A magistrate judge: written discovery motions require leave of court. The sample order URL below is the template for the standing order issued in each case upon referral.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 25, 2026.
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