PREPARATION OF PLEADINGS
(Amended November 7, 2016)
All pleadings must be prepared in conformity with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
and this Court’s Electronic Filing Policies and Procedures. Pleadings shall be double-spaced, on
8-1/2” by 11” pages with left and right margins of at least 1”, shall have page numbers in the
bottom margin of each page after page 1, and shall have legibly typed, printed or stamped
directly beneath the signature the name of the counsel or party who executed such document,
the office address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address, if available. The federal
bar number assigned to counsel should appear beneath his/her signature. The complete docket
number, including the initials of the Judge to whom the case has been assigned, shall be typed
on each pleading. The date of each pleading shall be included in the case caption.
RULE 11
MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND/OR SANCTIONS
(Amended November 7, 2016)
Except as otherwise required by statute, motions for attorneys' fees or sanctions must be
filed with the Clerk not later than 30 days after the entry of judgment.
RULE 12
(Amended November 7, 2016)
(a) Notice to Self-Represented Litigants Regarding Motions to Dismiss
Any represented party moving to dismiss the complaint of a self-represented party shall file
and serve, as a separate document in the form set forth below, a “Notice to Self-Represented
Litigant Concerning Motion to Dismiss.” The movant shall attach to the notice copies of the full
text of Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Civil Rule 7.
Notice to Self-Represented Litigant Concerning Motion to Dismiss
(As Required by Local Rule 12(a))
The purpose of this notice, which is required by the Court, is to notify you that the defendant
has filed a motion to dismiss asking the Court to dismiss all or some of your claims without a
trial. The defendant argues that there is no need to proceed with these claims because they are
subject to dismissal for the reasons stated in the motion.
THE DEFENDANT’S MOTION MAY BE GRANTED AND YOUR CLAIMS MAY BE
DISMISSED WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE IF YOU DO NOT FILE OPPOSITION PAPERS AS
REQUIRED BY RULE 12 OF THE FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE AND IF THE
DEFENDANT'S MOTION SHOWS THAT THE DEFENDANT IS ENTITLED TO DISMISSAL OF
ANY OR ALL OF YOUR CLAIMS. COPIES OF RELEVANT RULES ARE ATTACHED TO THIS
NOTICE, AND YOU SHOULD REVIEW THEM VERY CAREFULLY.
The papers you file must show that (1) you disagree with the defendant’s arguments for
dismissal, and (2) that the allegations of your complaint are sufficient to allow this case to
proceed. If you would like to amend your complaint under Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure in order to respond to the alleged deficiencies in your complaint asserted by the
defendant, you may promptly file a motion to amend your complaint, but you must attach your
proposed amended complaint to the motion.
It is very important that you read the defendant’s motion and memorandum of law to see if
you agree or disagree with the defendant’s motion. It is also very important that you review the
enclosed copies of Rule 12 of the Federal Rules and Local Rule 7 carefully. You must file your
opposition papers (and any motion to amend) with the Clerk of the Court and mail a copy to the
defendant’s counsel within 21 days of the filing of the defendant’s motion with the Clerk of the
Court. (If you e-file under the Court’s Electronic Filing Policies and Procedures, you do not need
to separately mail a copy of your opposition papers to the defendant’s counsel.) If you require
additional time to respond to the motion to dismiss, you must file a motion for extension of time,
providing the Court with good reasons for the extension and with the amount of additional time
you require.
If you are confined in a Connecticut correctional facility, you must file your opposition papers
and any motion to amend using the Prisoner Efiling Program and are not required to mail copies
to the defendant’s counsel.
