Skip to main content
First Circuit

District of Massachusetts Exhibit Requirements

The District of Massachusetts is a single-district covering the entire state, with courthouses in Boston, Springfield, and Worcester. The district is renowned for handling complex biotech and pharmaceutical patent litigation, securities cases, and significant commercial disputes. Boston's federal court has developed sophisticated procedures for technical and scientific cases.

D. Mass.CM/ECF (PACER)Per scheduling order (typically 30 days)
Prepare ExhibitsFederal Court Guide PDF

Quick Reference

E-Filing SystemCM/ECF (PACER)
File Size Limit50 MB per document
Plaintiff MarkingEx. 1, Ex. 2, Ex. 3...
Defendant MarkingEx. A, Ex. B, Ex. C...
Exchange DeadlinePer scheduling order (typically 30 days)
Primary RuleL.R. 16.1, 16.4, 26.2

What This Guide Covers

L.R. 16.1 initial scheduling and case management
L.R. 16.4 pretrial procedures
L.R. 26.2 discovery procedures
Patent Local Rules for IP cases
Complex case designation procedures
Electronic filing required
Summary judgment exhibit procedures
Biotechnology and pharma litigation expertise

Divisions & Courthouses

Boston

  • •John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse
  • •Main division - most cases
  • •Biotech and pharma patent cases
  • •Major commercial litigation

Springfield

  • •Western Massachusetts cases
  • •Same local rules apply
  • •Smaller caseload

Worcester

  • •Central Massachusetts cases
  • •Same local rules apply
  • •Limited sitting schedule

Judge-Specific Practices

D. Mass. judges have varying approaches to case management and exhibits. Some judges have specific formatting preferences for exhibits submitted with summary judgment motions. For patent cases, judges often issue scheduling orders with detailed exhibit exchange procedures. Always review the assigned judge's individual practices on the court website.

Pro Tips for D. Mass.

  • 1D. Mass. has developed sophisticated procedures for complex scientific cases
  • 2Patent cases follow specialized Patent Local Rules with Markman procedures
  • 3Summary judgment motions require careful exhibit organization
  • 4Check assigned judge preferences - some require specific exhibit formats
  • 5Biotech cases often require technical tutorials - prepare exhibits accordingly
  • 6L.R. 7.1 governs motion practice including exhibit requirements

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not complying with L.R. 7.1 motion practice requirements
Failing to follow Patent Local Rules in IP cases
Missing pretrial deadlines under L.R. 16.4
Not organizing exhibits for summary judgment per local practice
Failing to check individual judge preferences
Exceeding page limits on supporting memoranda

Related Court Guides

🆕 Trial Binder Mode

Alphabetic labels with per-exhibit numbering

Federal Overview

FRCP Rule 26 & CM/ECF

Federal PDF Guide

Comprehensive PDF download

State Courts

50 state guides

Try It Free

Video loading

Stamp, organize, and download D. Mass.-compliant exhibits in under 60 seconds.

Ready to Prepare Your Exhibits?

ExhibitPrep creates professional, D. Mass.-compliant exhibits in minutes. Preview free, pay only when you're ready to download.

Try It Free →