9. Scheduling Orders
U.S. District Court of Maryland Local Rules (December 1, 2025)
d) Requested Consent of Other Counsel
Before filing a motion requesting leave to file an amended pleading, counsel shall
attempt to obtain the consent of other counsel. Counsel shall state in the motion whether
the consent of other counsel has been obtained.
7. Third-Party Complaints
a) Filing
A third-party plaintiff shall file with the Clerk only the third-party complaint itself and
not all the prior pleadings attached thereto.
b) Service
Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, a third-party plaintiff shall serve upon a third-
party defendant copies of all documents (other than notices of previously held depositions)
which the parties have previously served upon one another and shall make all previously-
conducted discovery materials available for review by the third-party defendant.
8. Dismissal for Want of Prosecution
a) Failure to Effect Service
If a party demanding affirmative relief has not effected service of process within ninety
(90) days of filing the pleading seeking the affirmative relief, the Court may enter an order
asking the party to show cause why the claim should not be dismissed. If the party fails to
show good cause within fourteen (14) days of the entry of the order or such other time as
may be set by the Court, the claim shall be dismissed without prejudice.
b) Dormancy of Action for Nine Months
If no document has been filed in court in any action for more than nine (9) months, the
Court may enter an order asking the parties to show cause why the case should not be
dismissed. If good cause is not shown within fourteen (14) days of the entry of the show
cause order or such other time as may be set by the Court, the case shall be dismissed
without prejudice.
9. Scheduling Orders
a) Categories of Actions Generally Exempted from Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b)
All categories of actions in which ordinarily discovery is not conducted and additional
parties are not added are exempted from Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b). These categories of actions
include petitions filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, motions filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, social
security appeals, bankruptcy appeals, appeals on the record from administrative agencies,
