Hon. Victoria Reznik — Individual Rules of Practice

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

Individual Practices Of

Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Chambers Courtroom

United States District Court Room 420

300 Quarropas Street Brigid Altimari, Deputy Clerk

White Plains, NY 10601

Telephone

(914) 390-4225

Civil cases come before magistrate judges in one of two ways: (1) for one or more

specific purposes pursuant to an order of reference by the assigned district judge, pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 636(b), or (2) on consent of the parties, for all purposes pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c).

When a district judge approves an all-purposes consent form signed by counsel and/or pro se

parties, the magistrate judge assumes the role of the district judge. The right to a jury trial is

preserved, and any appeal is directly to the Court of Appeals.

It is the uniform practice of the magistrate judges in this District to schedule trials in civil

consent cases for firm dates, rather than requiring counsel to be available for trial on short notice.

Additionally, because magistrate judges rarely try criminal cases, such firm trial dates are

unlikely to be changed to accommodate criminal trials. Should the parties wish to consent to

have Judge Reznik hear their case for all purposes, the necessary form is available at

https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-victoria-reznik#.

Unless otherwise ordered by Judge Reznik, matters before her shall be conducted in

accordance with the following practices. These practices are applicable to cases before Judge

Reznik if the matter is within the scope of the district judge’s order of reference or if the case is

before Judge Reznik for all purposes pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). Otherwise, the practices of

the district judge to whom the case is assigned apply.

Nothing in Judge Reznik’s Individual Practices supersedes a specific time period for

filing a motion specified by statute or the Federal Rules where failure to comply with the

specified time period could result in forfeiture of a substantive right.

1. Communications with Chambers

A. Letters. Except as otherwise provided below, communications with the Court

must be by letter and filed on ECF, without e-mail or other copy to the Court.

Letters may not exceed three (3) pages, exclusive of exhibits, which should be

kept to a minimum. Any letter containing sensitive or confidential information

that a party does not wish to appear on the docket must follow the procedures

outlined in Section 5, below. Copies of correspondence between counsel or

parties must not be filed or sent to the Court, except as exhibits to an otherwise

properly filed document.

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

B. Telephone Calls. Telephone calls to chambers are permitted. The main chambers

telephone number is (914) 390-4225.

C. Docketing, Scheduling, and Calendaring Matters. For docketing, scheduling,

and calendaring matters, call Courtroom Deputy Brigid Altimari at (914) 390-

4219 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. If the request is for an adjournment of a

court appearance, absent an emergency, it shall be made at least 48 hours prior to

the scheduled appearance and filed on ECF as a letter-motion, in accordance with

Section 1E below.

D. E-mails. E-mails are not permitted without prior approval. If approved, copies of

e-mailed submissions must be simultaneously sent to all counsel. The Court’s e-

mail address is ReznikNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.

E. Requests for Adjournments or Extensions of Time. Any request for an

adjournment of a court proceeding or for an extension of time for a deadline must

be made in writing and filed on ECF as a letter-motion, after consultation with all

affected parties. The letter-motion must state: (1) the original date of the

proceeding or deadline; (2) the number of previous requests for adjournment or

extension; (3) whether these previous requests were granted or denied; (4) the

reason for the present request; (5) whether all affected parties consent, and if not,

the reasons given by the party or parties for refusing to consent. If the requested

adjournment or extension affects any other scheduled dates, a proposed Revised

Scheduling Order must be attached. Absent an emergency, a request for an

adjournment of a court proceeding or an extension of a deadline must be made at

least 48 hours before the scheduled proceeding or deadline. An adjournment

request must also include at least two proposed dates on which all counsel are

available for rescheduling.

F. Urgent Requests. Parties seeking adjournments or extensions of time less than 48

hours before a scheduled proceeding or expiring deadline, or for any other urgent

request, shall contact chambers by telephone to alert the Court.

G. Pro Se Parties. All letters, motions, memoranda, and other communications to

the Court from pro se parties that are not filed electronically must be submitted to

the Pro Se Intake Unit, not directly to chambers.

1. Non-incarcerated pro se parties who have an e-mail address and wish to

receive case-related documents (including court orders) quickly,

automatically, and electronically, may consent to electronic service by

filing a Pro Se (Nonprisoner) Consent & Registration Form to Receive

Documents Electronically, available from the Pro Se Intake Unit or at

http://nysd.uscourts.gov/node/845.

2. Non-incarcerated pro se parties who have an e-mail address and wish to

receive, serve, and file case-related documents electronically may request

2

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

permission to do so by filing a Motion for Permission for Electronic Case

Filing, available from the Pro Se Intake Unit or at

http://nysd.uscourts.gov/node/844.

2. Discovery Matters

A. Raising Discovery Disputes. For discovery motions (that is, any dispute arising

under Rules 26 through 37 or Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure),

follow Local Civil Rule 37.2 with the following modifications. Any party wishing

to raise a discovery dispute with the Court must first meet-and-confer in good

faith with the opposing party, in person or by telephone, in an effort to resolve the

dispute. If this meet-and-confer process does not resolve the dispute, the party

may submit an ECF letter-motion to the Court no longer than three (3) single-

spaced pages, explaining the nature of the dispute and requesting a pre-motion

conference. The letter-motion must certify that (i) the meet-and-confer process

occurred, including the date, time, place, and duration of the parties’ efforts to

resolve the dispute and (ii) the moving party informed the adversary during the in-

person or telephonic conference that it believed the parties to be at an impasse and

that the moving party would be requesting a conference with the Court. The

opposing party shall submit a response via ECF, not to exceed three (3) single-

spaced pages in length, within three business days after submission of the letter-

motion, unless the parties agree otherwise (and the Court is informed of the

agreed response date by letter).

Counsel should seek relief in accordance with these procedures in a timely

fashion. All applications must be initiated in time to be resolved sufficiently in

advance of the deadline for all discovery. Absent good cause shown, untimely

applications may be denied.

B. Confidentiality Stipulations and Protective Orders. In cases where confidential

information will be exchanged, the parties are encouraged to use the model

Confidentiality Stipulation and Proposed Protective Order found at

https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-victoria-reznik#. The parties are encouraged to

include provisions relating to inadvertent production/claw-back agreements and

Fed. R. Evid. 502(d). If the parties intend to use a protective order that differs

substantially from the model, the Court may ask the parties to submit a letter

explaining why the modifications are needed.

C. Electronic Discovery. The parties are encouraged to use the model Joint

Electronic Discovery Submission and Proposed Order found at

https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-victoria-reznik#. This model may be modified to

the extent appropriate.

D. Status Conferences. The Court holds regular Status Conferences at which

counsel should be prepared to discuss the status of discovery, the potential for

settlement, and any other issues to be resolved. In some cases, the Court may

3

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

request a joint proposed agenda (submitted by letter) in advance of the

conference, which shall be filed at least two (2) business days before any Status

Conference, unless otherwise directed by the Court.

3. Motions

A. Pre-Motion Conferences in Civil Cases. For motions concerning discovery

disputes, see Section 2A above. For all other motions, a pre-motion conference is

required, except for (i) motions to dismiss in lieu of an answer; (ii) motions for

admission pro hac vice; (iii) motions for reargument or reconsideration; (iv)

motions listed in Fed. R. App. 4(a)(4)(A); (v) any post-judgment motions; (vi)

motions in limine; (vii) motions to dismiss habeas corpus petitions; and (viii)

applications made by order to show cause. Where a pre-motion conference is

required, the moving party shall file a letter (not a letter-motion) no longer than

three (3) single-spaced pages in length, setting forth the basis for the anticipated

motion. The opposing party shall submit a letter response via ECF, no longer than

three (3) single-spaced pages in length, within five business days after submission

of the moving party’s letter, unless the parties agree otherwise (and the Court is

informed of the agreed response date by letter). The Court will notify the parties if

a pre-motion conference is required.

B. Briefing Schedule on Formal (Non-Discovery) Motions. Unless the Court has

ordered otherwise, opposition and reply papers for formal (non-discovery)

motions are due in accordance with Local Civil Rule 6.1. The parties are strongly

encouraged to agree on a reasonable briefing schedule before the moving papers

are filed. If the parties have agreed to such a schedule, they must submit a joint

letter-motion that sets forth the proposed briefing schedule.

C. Memoranda of Law. Unless prior permission has been granted, memoranda of

law in support of and in opposition to motions are limited to 25 pages, and reply

memoranda are limited to 10 pages. Memoranda of 10 pages or more must

contain a table of contents and a table of authorities. The typeface, margins, and

spacing of motion papers must conform to Local Civil Rule 11.1.

D. Courtesy Copies. Courtesy copies of all formal (non-discovery) motion papers,

marked as such, must be submitted to chambers promptly after filing. For those

parties permitted to file documents on ECF, courtesy copies must bear the ECF

header generated at the time of electronic filing and include protruding tabs for

any exhibits. Copies of all papers should be double-sided, whenever possible.

E. Filing of Motion Papers. Motion papers must be filed promptly after service.

F. Oral Argument on Motions. Parties may request oral argument by letter at the

time their motion papers are filed. The Court will determine whether argument

will be heard and, if so, will advise counsel of the argument date and time.

4

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

G. Motions in Pro Se Cases. As required by Local Civil Rule 7.2, counsel must

provide a pro se litigant with printed copies of cases and other authorities cited in

any submission that are unpublished or reported exclusively on computerized

databases. Where a party moves for summary judgment against a pro se litigant,

the party must also comply with the notice requirements of Local Civil Rule 56.2.

Where a party moves to dismiss or for judgment on the pleadings against a pro se

litigant and refers to matters outside the pleadings, the party must comply with the

notice requirements of Local Civil Rule 12.1.

4. Settlement Conferences

For cases referred to Judge Reznik for settlement conferences, the Court will issue

specific instructions for pre-conference submissions and procedures in a separate order.

5. Electronic Filing Under Seal

A. Sealing/Redactions Not Requiring Court Approval. Rule 5.2 of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure describes sensitive information that must be redacted

from public court filings without seeking prior permission from the Court. Parties

also should consult Rules 21.3 and 21.4 of the ECF Rules & Instructions.

B. Sealing/Redaction Requiring Court Approval. Motions or letter motions for

approval of sealed or redacted filings in civil and miscellaneous cases and the

subject documents, including the proposed sealed document(s), must be filed

electronically through the ECF system in conformity with Local Civil Rule 5.2,

the Court’s standing orders (19-mc-583 and 25-mc-421), and Section 6 of the

ECF Rules & Instructions.

The motion must be filed in public view, must explain the reasons for seeking to

file that information under seal, and should not include confidential information

sought to be filed under seal. Supporting papers must be separately filed

electronically and may be filed under seal or redacted only to the extent necessary

to safeguard information sought to be filed under seal.

The proposed sealed document must be contemporaneously filed under seal in the

ECF system and electronically related to the motion. The summary docket text,

but not the sealed document, will be open to public inspection and should not

include confidential information sought to be filed under seal.

Where the motion seeks approval to redact information from a document that is to

be publicly filed, the filing party must: (a) publicly file the document with the

proposed redactions, and (b) electronically file under seal a copy of the

unredacted document with the proposed redactions highlighted. Both documents

must be electronically filed through the ECF system and related to the motion.

5

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

Any party unable to comply with the requirement for electronic filing under seal

through the ECF system, or who has reason to believe that a particular document

should not be electronically filed, must move for leave of the Court to file in the

traditional manner, on paper.

Unredacted courtesy copies of all documents to be filed under seal must be sent to

chambers at the time the motion is filed.

6. Pretrial Procedures

A. Applicability. The procedures set forth in this section apply only to cases in

which the parties have consented pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) to have all

proceedings, including trial, occur before Judge Reznik.

B. Joint Pretrial Order. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, the parties must

submit a proposed Joint Pretrial Order to the Court for approval within 30 days

after the date for the completion of discovery, or, if a summary judgment motion

has been filed, within 30 days after the decision on the motion. The proposed

Joint Pretrial Order must be signed by all parties and include the following:

1. Caption. The full caption of the action.

2. Contact List. The names, addresses, telephone numbers (both office and

mobile), and e-mail addresses of each principal member of the trial team.

3. Statement of Subject Matter Jurisdiction. A brief statement by plaintiff

(or, in a removed case, by defendant) as to the basis of subject matter

jurisdiction, and a brief statement by each other party as to the presence or

absence of subject matter jurisdiction. Such statements must include

citations to all statutes relied on and relevant facts pertaining to citizenship

and jurisdictional amount.

4. Summary of Claims and Defenses. A brief summary by each party of the

claims and defenses that party has asserted that remain to be tried,

including citations to all statutes relied on, but without recital of

evidentiary matter.

5. Statement of Damages. With respect to each claim remaining to be tried,

a brief statement listing each element or category of damages sought with

respect to such claim and a calculation of the amount of damages sought

with respect to such element or category.

6. Statement of Jury/Non-Jury Trial. A statement by each party as to

whether the case is to be tried with or without a jury, and the anticipated

number of trial days needed. If there is to be a jury trial, the parties must

6

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

indicate whether they agree to a non-unanimous verdict pursuant to Rule

48 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

7. Stipulations. Any stipulations or agreed-upon statements of fact or law.

8. Witness List. A statement by each party as to the witnesses whose

testimony is to be offered in its case in chief, indicating whether such

witnesses will testify in person or by deposition, and briefly stating the

topic(s) as to which the witness will testify. If any party anticipates any

issue with the availability of a witness, that issue must be identified.

Absent extraordinary circumstances, a party may not call as a witness in

its case in chief any person not listed in the Joint Pretrial Order.

9. Deposition Designations. A designation by each party of deposition

testimony to be offered in that party’s case in chief, referencing page and

line numbers, with any cross‐designations and objections by any other

party. Designations and cross-designations should be highlighted or

otherwise clearly marked on the deposition transcript submitted to the

Court. For each designation as to which there is an objection, the party

objecting must briefly specify the nature of the objection (e.g., “hearsay,”

“Rule 403”). Any objection or cross‐designation not listed shall be

deemed waived.

10. Exhibit List. A list by each party of exhibits to be offered in its case in

chief. Each exhibit must be pre‐marked (plaintiff to use numbers,

defendant to use letters). For each exhibit as to which there is an

objection, the party objecting must briefly specify the nature of the

objection (e.g., “authenticity,” “hearsay,” “Rule 403”). Any objection not

listed shall be deemed waived. Absent extraordinary circumstances, a

party may not offer in its case in chief any exhibit not listed in the Joint

Pretrial Order.

11. Motions in Limine. A list by each party of any anticipated motions in

limine with a reference to the specific witness or exhibit numbers at issue.

The motions themselves must be separately filed via ECF, per Section 6C

below.

12. Demonstratives. A proposed schedule by which the parties will exchange

demonstrative exhibits that the parties intend to use at trial, notify each

other of any objections thereto, consult with each other regarding those

objections and notify the Court of any remaining disputes.

C. Filings Prior to Trial. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, the following

must be filed at the same time as the proposed Joint Pretrial Order:

7

United States Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik

Individual Practices in Civil Cases

Updated

September 23, 2025

1. Jury trials. In jury cases, parties must jointly prepare and file three

separate documents: (a) proposed requests to charge; (b) proposed voir

dire questions to be asked of prospective jurors; and (c) a proposed verdict

form. To the extent a party objects to another party’s requests to charge,

voir dire questions, or verdict form, the joint submission must include the

objecting party’s ground(s) for objection and proposed alternative (all in

the same document so that the Court can compare the parties’ respective

proposals). All requests to charge, objections, and alternatives must

include citations to controlling authority. In addition to filing these three

joint submissions on ECF, the parties must send copies in Microsoft Word

format to the Court via e-mail to

ReznikNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.

2. Non-Jury trials. In non-jury cases, parties must file proposed findings of

fact and conclusions of law. In addition to filing this submission on ECF,

the parties must send copies in Microsoft Word format to the Court via e-

mail to ReznikNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov.

3. Motions in Limine. In all cases, any motions addressing evidentiary or

other issues which should be resolved in limine also must be filed at the

same time as the proposed Joint Pretrial Order. Responses to any motions

in limine must be filed within 14 days. There shall be no replies for

motions in limine.

4. Courtesy Copies. The parties shall deliver to the Court in a tabbed binder

or binders (with a copy to opposing counsel): (a) a copy of each of the

party’s pre-marked trial exhibits, and (b) a copy of any deposition

testimony that has been designated (or cross-designated) and will be

offered at trial. Deposition testimony should be clearly marked to identify

designations and cross-designations. (Exhibits and deposition testimony

need not be filed electronically on ECF, unless otherwise directed by the

Court).

5. Optional Pretrial Memoranda of Law. Unless otherwise ordered by the

Court, a pretrial memorandum of law or trial brief is not required. If a

party believes it would be useful, that party may file a pretrial

memorandum of law or trial brief that does not duplicate the issues

addressed in any of the other pretrial submissions; pretrial memoranda are

limited to 25 pages.

7. Inclement Weather or Other Emergency

White Plains Courthouse delays or closures are announced by 6:00 am. Call (914) 390-

4220 to hear a recorded message. In the event of severe weather conditions when the

Courthouse is open, counsel with scheduled appearances should call chambers to confirm

that Judge Reznik is holding court.

8