Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Franklin U. Valderrama -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
1941, Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60604
description
Motions decided on papers — no hearings held
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Summary judgment MUST be filed within 45 days of close of discovery. Untimely motions are not considered -- no exceptions published.
- 2. Footnote arguments are ignored. Do not put substantive arguments, case distinctions, or responses in footnotes.
- 3. No motion to seal required. File sealed documents directly with a simultaneous public redacted version.
- 4. Proposed orders: Word format ONLY. PDF format does not satisfy the requirement.
- 5. Conferral required before filing most contested motions. Exceptions: MTD, remand, SJ, withdrawal, and sur-response requests.
- 6. Requests to Admit: 25 per side. 'Per side' means all parties represented by the same counsel count as one.
- 7. MIDP cases: prior enrollment survives reassignment; no new cases subject to MIDP.
- 8. Counterfeit product cases: $1,000 presumptive bond per defendant.
- 9. Injunctions must be standalone separate documents -- no incorporation by reference.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | NO motion calls. Parties must NOT schedule motion presentment hearings or deliver courtesy copies. Do NOT contact Courtroom Deputy about scheduling motion presentment. If a hearing is believed necessary: file a motion on the docket requesting one, indicate whether it is opposed, and briefly explain why a hearing is necessary. [Judge Valderrama -- Motion Practice] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Strictly enforced. [Judge Valderrama -- Motion Practice] |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified. Courts generally will not grant leave to file a reply exceeding the length of the response absent compelling circumstances. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Courtesy copies suspended per General Order 21-0027. No courtesy copies unless specifically requested by the presiding judge. |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. N.D. Ill. does not use a tentative ruling system. |
| Remote Appearances | No published individual procedures. Check docket for case-specific instructions. |
| Discovery | Discovery disputes resolved by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Face-to-face or telephonic conferral required; correspondence 'almost never' sufficient. Requests to Admit: 25 per side (parties represented by same counsel count as one side). |
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 motion calls. Parties must NOT schedule motion presentment hearings or deliver courtesy copies. Do NOT contact Courtroom Deputy about scheduling motion presentment. If a hearing is believed necessary: file a motion on the docket requesting one, indicate whether it is opposed, and briefly explain why a hearing is necessary. [Judge Valderrama -- Motion Practice]
Notice Period
No notice of motion or presentment date required per General Order 21-0027.
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Strictly enforced. [Judge Valderrama -- Motion Practice]
Opposition Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1.
Reply Limit
Not separately specified. Courts generally will not grant leave to file a reply exceeding the length of the response absent compelling circumstances.
Font & Formatting
Per LR 5.2(e).
Footnote Policy
Substantive arguments in footnotes will generally be ignored by the court. Do not put case distinctions or arguments in footnotes.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Courtesy copies suspended per General Order 21-0027. No courtesy copies unless specifically requested by the presiding judge.
Proposed Orders
Email Word format ONLY (PDF does not count) to Proposed_Order_Valderrama@ilnd.uscourts.gov. Subject line: (1) case name; (2) case number; (3) docket number of motion; (4) title of order. Copy all parties on the email. Do NOT file on CM/ECF docket. Must still file a motion -- email alone is not a substitute. [Judge Valderrama -- Proposed Orders]
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not issued. N.D. Ill. does not use a tentative ruling system.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
N/A.
Oral Argument
Papers only by default. File a motion requesting hearing if one is believed necessary.
Remote Appearances
No published individual procedures. Check docket for case-specific instructions.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
No chambers communication about case merits by letter, phone, or email.
Discovery Referral
Discovery disputes resolved by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Face-to-face or telephonic conferral required; correspondence 'almost never' sufficient. Requests to Admit: 25 per side (parties represented by same counsel count as one side).
Discovery Dispute Procedure No-presentment
LR 37.2 required. Correspondence 'almost never' sufficient; face-to-face or telephonic required. Discovery continuances must be presented before the discovery deadline and must show good cause. E-discovery impasse: meet and confer with IT representatives before filing motion. Requests to Admit: 25 per side. Pendency of a motion does not necessarily stay discovery. [Judge Valderrama -- Discovery Motions]
Ex Parte Applications
No motion to seal required. Parties may file under seal without a separate motion. Must file a public redacted version for every sealed document.
Settlement Notification
No published individual procedures.
Lead Counsel
Not specified.
Under Seal Filings
No motion to seal required. File under seal directly. Must file a public redacted version for every sealed document. No motion or order about sealing unless the court orders otherwise.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Discovery continuances must be presented before the discovery deadline. Must show good cause.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
No-presentment, no motion call model. Key distinguishing features: 45-day SJ filing deadline post-discovery, footnote arguments ignored, no motion to seal required, conferral required before most motions. Proposed orders to Proposed_Order_Valderrama@ilnd.uscourts.gov in Word format only.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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