GENERAL FORMAT OF PAPERS PRESENTED FOR FILING

A. Filing and Paper Size.

In order that the files in the Clerk of Court's office may be kept under the system commonly known as "flat filing," all papers presented to the Court or to the Clerk of Court for filing shall be flat and as thin as feasible. Further, all pleadings and other documents presented for filing to the Court or to the Clerk of Court shall be on 8½ by 11 inch size paper, white in color for scanning purposes and electronic case filing (ECF).

B. Lettering.

The lettering or typeface shall be clearly legible and shall not be smaller than 12 point word processing font or, if typewritten, shall not be smaller than pica. The text must be double-spaced, but quotations more than two lines long may be indented and single-spaced. Headings and footnotes may be single-spaced. The font type and size used in footnotes shall be the same as that used in the body of the brief.

Margins must be at least one inch on all four sides. Page numbers may be placed in the margins, but no text may appear there.

C. Printing on One Side.

The lettering or typeface shall be on only one (1) side of a page.

D. Page Fasteners.

All papers and other documents filed in this Court shall be securely fastened with a paper clip, binder clip or rubber band. The use of plastic strips, staples or other such fasteners is prohibited, with the exception that administrative and judicial records may be firmly bound.

E. Exhibits to Briefs.

Exhibits to a brief or motion shall accompany the brief or motion, but shall not be attached to or bound with the brief or motion. Exhibits shall be secured separately, using either lettered or numbered separator pages to separate and identify each exhibit. Each exhibit also shall be identified by letter or number on the top right hand corner of the first page of the exhibit. Exhibits in support of a pleading or other paper shall accompany the pleading or other paper but shall not be physically bound thereto.

In all instances where more than one exhibit is part of the same filing, there shall be a table of contents for the exhibits.

F. Separate Documents.

Each motion and each brief shall be a separate document.

G. Exceptions on Motion.

Exceptions to the provisions of this rule may be made only upon motion and for good cause or in the case of papers filed in litigation commenced in forma pauperis.

H. Withdrawal of Files.

Records and papers on file in the office of the Clerk of Court may be produced pursuant to a subpoena from any federal or state Court, directing their production. Records and papers may be removed from the files only upon order of Court. Whenever records and papers are withdrawn, the 2 November 1, 2016 Local Rules of Court Western District of Pennsylvania person receiving them shall leave with the Clerk of Court a signed receipt describing the records or papers taken.

I. Exhibits.

All exhibits received in evidence, or offered and rejected, upon the hearing of any cause or motion, shall be presented to the deputy clerk, who shall keep the same in custody, unless otherwise ordered by the Court, except that the clerk may without special order permit an official court reporter to withdraw exhibits, by means of a signed descriptive receipt, for the purpose of preparing the transcript.

J. Law Enforcement Evidence.

In all cases where money, firearms, narcotics, controlled substances or any matter of contraband is introduced into evidence, such evidence shall be maintained for safekeeping by law enforcement during all times when court is not in session, and at the conclusion of the case. The law enforcement agent will be responsible for its custody if the evidence is required for any purpose thereafter. See also LCrR 23.

K. Exhibits Retained by Clerk.

Trial exhibits shall be retained by the deputy clerk until it is determined whether an appeal has been taken from a final judgment. In the event of an appeal, exhibits shall be retained by the deputy clerk until disposition of the appeal. Otherwise, they may be reclaimed by counsel for a period of thirty (30) days after which the exhibits may be destroyed by the deputy clerk.

L. Hyperlinks.

The use of hyperlinks is permitted but is not required. Because a hyperlink contained in a filing is no more than a convenient mechanism for accessing material cited in the document, a hyperlink reference is extraneous to any filed document and does not make the hyperlinked document part of the court’s record. 1 Electronically filed documents may contain: (a) Hyperlinks to either Westlaw or Lexis/Nexis for cited legal authority, but hyperlinks to a cited authority may not replace standard citation format. Standard citations must be included in the text of the filed document; (b) Hyperlinks to other documents previously filed within the CM/ECF in the Western District of Pennsylvania or from any other federal court; and (c) Hyperlinks to other portions of the same document.

2 Electronically filed documents may not contain in text or footnotes: (a) Hyperlinks to sealed or restricted documents; (b) Hyperlinks to websites not listed in (a); or (c) Hyperlinks to audio or video files. 3 November 1, 2016 Local Rules of Court Western District of Pennsylvania Hyperlinking must comply with the hyperlinking protocol in the Court’s Electronic Case Filing Policies and Procedures. Non-conforming documents may be ordered stricken by the Court.