(A) Eligibility: Any person who is an Active Member of the Virginia State Bar in good standing is
eligible to practice before this Court upon admission.
(B) Initial Appearance: Any person who meets the requirements of the foregoing paragraph and who
maintains a law office outside of Virginia shall set forth his or her Virginia State Bar I.D. Number on any
initial pleading or other filing by such person.
(C) Procedure for Admission: Every person desiring admission to practice in this
Court shall file with the Clerk written application therefor accompanied by an endorsement by two (2)
qualified members of the bar of this Court stating that the applicant is of good moral character and
professional reputation. The form for such application may be obtained from the Clerk’s Office.
As a part of the application, the applicant shall certify that applicant has within ninety (90) days prior to
submission of the application read or reread (a) the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, (b) the Federal
Rules of Evidence, and (c) the Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Virginia.
The applicant shall thereafter be presented by a qualified practitioner of the Court who shall in open Court
by oral motion, and upon giving assurance to the Court that the practitioner has examined the credentials
of the applicant and is satisfied the applicant possesses the necessary qualifications, move the applicant’s
admission to practice.
The applicant shall in open Court take the oath required for admission, subscribe the roll of the Court, and
pay to the Clerk the required fee. For such payment, the applicant shall be issued a certificate of
qualification by the Clerk. For good cause shown, the Court may waive payment of the fee.
(D) Federal Government Attorneys:
(1) Any federal government attorney appearing pursuant to the authority of the United States
Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or the Federal Public Defender’s Office for
the Eastern District of Virginia may appear and sign pleadings and other filings without
admission to practice in this Court as long as such attorney is qualified and licensed to practice
before the Supreme Court of the United States, or before the highest court of any state in the
United States, or before the courts in the District of Columbia.
(2) Any other federal government attorney representing the United States government, or any
agency or employee thereof, may appear and sign pleadings and other filings in an action without
admission to practice in the Court as long as such attorney is qualified and licensed to practice
before the Supreme Court of the United States, or before the highest court of any state in the
United States, or before the courts in the District of Columbia. However, any such attorney must
secure local counsel by either working with an Assistant United States Attorney assigned to the
Eastern District of Virginia or local counsel admitted to practice under subsection (C), who shall
accompany the attorney in appearances before the Court and also sign all pleadings and other
filings.
(3) A federal government attorney appearing in an official capacity is not required to pay the
admission fee.
(E) Foreign Attorneys:
(1) Upon written motion by a member of this Court, a practitioner qualified to practice in the
United States District Court of another state or the District of Columbia may apply for pro hac
vice admission in a specific case and to appear and sign pleadings and other filings, provided that:
(a) The rules of the United States District Court of the district in which the practitioner
maintains an office extend a similar privilege to members of the bar of this Court; and
(b) That such practitioners from another state or the District of Columbia shall be
accompanied by a member of the bar of this Court in all appearances before this Court.
For purposes of this rule, a member of the bar of this Court shall be a person admitted or
authorized to practice under subsections (C) or (D)(1).
(2) All practitioners admitted before this Court for the purpose of participating in a particular
proceeding pro hac vice shall be subject to the Local Rules of the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement (Appendix B).
Applicants for pro hac vice admission shall complete a written application certifying that they
have read the Local Rules and shall pay the required fee to the Clerk. If the Court finds the
application otherwise appropriate, upon payment of the required fee, the Court may order the pro
hac vice admission of the applicant. Revenues from pro hac vice admission fees shall be
deposited in the Court’s non-appropriated funds account and disbursed by order of the chief judge
of the district for such improvements to the Court’s administration of justice as the chief judge
finds appropriate.
(3) Except where a party conducts his or her own case, no pleading or other filing required to be
signed by an attorney shall be filed unless also signed by an attorney who is admitted or
authorized to practice in this Court under subsections (C) or (D)(1), with the office address where
notice can be served upon said attorney, and who shall have such authority that the Court can deal
with the attorney alone in all matters connected with the case. Such appearance shall not be
withdrawn without leave of the Court. Service of notice or other proceedings on such an attorney
shall be equivalent to service on the parties for whom the attorney appeared.
(F) Western District of Virginia: Any attorney admitted to practice in the Western District of Virginia
who is an Active Member of the Virginia State Bar in good standing shall be permitted to practice in the
Eastern District of Virginia upon the filing of a certificate from the Clerk of the Western District of
Virginia showing that such attorney has been duly admitted to practice in that district.
(G) Filings and Appearances by Attorneys: Any attorney appearing before, or signing pleadings or
other filings with the Court, must be admitted or authorized to practice under subsections (C), (D), (E), or
(F). Attorneys admitted pro hac vice or authorized to practice before the Court under subsections (D)(2)
or (E), must be accompanied at all hearings, pretrial matters, or trials by at least one attorney admitted or
authorized to practice under subsections (C) or (D)(1). This obligation may not be avoided or delegated
without leave of Court. Pleadings or other filings submitted by attorneys admitted pro hac vice or
authorized to practice under subsections (D)(2) or (E), must also be signed by an attorney admitted or
authorized to practice before the Court under subsections (C) or (D)(1). Any attorney who signs a
pleading or other filing with the Court will be held accountable for the case by the Court.
(H) Withdrawal of Appearance: No attorney who has entered an appearance in any civil action shall
withdraw such appearance, or have it stricken from the record, except on order of the Court and after
reasonable notice to the party on whose behalf said attorney has appeared.
(I) Practicing Before Admission or While Disbarred or Suspended: Any person who, before
admission to the bar of this Court or during any disbarment or suspension, exercises any of the privileges
of a member of the bar of this Court, or who pretends to be entitled so to do, shall be guilty of contempt
of court and subject to appropriate punishment therefor.
(J) Professional Ethics: The ethical standards relating to the practice of law in civil cases in this Court
shall be Section II of Part Six of the Rules of the Virginia Supreme Court as it may be amended or
superseded from time to time.
(K) Courtroom Decorum: Counsel shall at all times conduct and demean themselves with dignity and
propriety. When addressing the Court, counsel shall rise unless excused therefrom by the Court. All
statements and communications to the Court shall be clearly and audibly made from a standing position at
the counsel table or, if the Court is equipped with an attorney's lectern, from a standing position behind
the lectern, facing the Court or the witness. Counsel shall not approach the bench unless requested to do
so by the Court or unless permission is granted upon the request of counsel.
Examination of witnesses shall be conducted by counsel standing behind the lectern or, if none, behind
the counsel table. Counsel shall not approach the witness except for the purpose of presenting, inquiring
about, or examining the witness with respect to an exhibit, unless otherwise permitted by the Court. Only
one attorney for each party may participate in the examination or cross-examination of a witness.
(L) Third-Year Law Student: An eligible law student qualifying pursuant to Paragraph II of the Plan for
Third-Year Practice filed in each division of this Court is herewith given leave to participate in any civil
case pursuant to said plan and as said plan may, from time to time, be amended. The Plan for Third-Year
Practice is Appendix A to these Local Rules.
(M) Federal Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement: All counsel admitted to practice before this Court
pursuant to subsections (C), (D), (E), or (F) shall be subject to the rules, conditions, and provisions set
forth in full as Appendix B to these Local Rules. For purposes of this rule, “any other court of the United
States,” as that phrase is used in Rules II and III of the Federal Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement set
forth at Appendix B, includes the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
(N) Ghostwriting:
(1) Any attorney who prepares any document that is to be filed in this Court by a person who is
known by the attorney, or who is reasonably expected by the attorney, to be proceeding pro se,
shall be considered to have entered an appearance in the proceeding in which such document is
filed and shall be subject to all rules that govern attorneys who have formally appeared in the
proceeding.
(2) All litigants who are proceeding pro se shall certify in writing and under penalty of perjury
that his or her pleadings or other filings have not been prepared by, or with the aid of, an attorney
or shall identify any attorney who has prepared, or assisted in preparing, the document.
Each document filed with the court by a pro se litigant shall bear the following certification:
CERTIFICATION
I declare under penalty of perjury that:
(1) No attorney has prepared, or assisted in the preparation of this document.
________________________________
Name of Pro Se Party (Print or Type)
________________________________
Signature of Pro Se Party
Executed on: _____________________ (Date)
OR
(2) ________________________________
(Name of Attorney)
________________________________
(Address of Attorney)
________________________________
(Telephone Number of Attorney)
Prepared, or assisted in the preparation of, this document.
________________________________
(Name of Pro Se Party (Print or Type)
________________________________
Signature of Pro Se Party
Executed on: _____________________ (Date)
