Judge Leonard P. Stark

The Honorable Leonard P. Stark

Address:
J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building
844 N. King Street
Unit 26
Room 6124
Wilmington, DE 19801-3555

Courtroom: 6B

Judge Tabs

About

District Judge

Appointment Start Date:

August 16, 2010

Staff Information

General Chambers Phone: 302-573-4571

Courtroom Deputy Phone:302-573-4538

Case Manager Phone: 302-573-6003

Court Reporter: Brian Gaffigan
Phone: 302-743-0060

Forms

Proposed Final Pretrial Order - Revised 01/2011

Form Scheduling Order - Non-Patent - Revised 08/2014

Opinions

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NOTE: All files are in PDF format

Please click here to access all Current and Previous Opinions.

Orders/Standing Orders

Standing Order Regarding Courtesy Copies

Guidelines

Default Standard for Discovery of Electronically Stored Information ("E-Discovery")

Default Standard for Access to Source Code

Procedures

New Procedures

Patent Procedures

Law Clerks

The application period for summer interns during the summer of 2021 has ended. Due to the volume of application received, Chambers will only communicate to those who will be interviewed. If you are not notified by Chambers, another candidate within the recruitment was selected.

Judge Stark's clerks serve for staggered terms, and he reviews applications and conducts interviews on a rolling basis when there are openings. He will post vacancies for specific terms on OSCAR as they arise. Judge Stark has currently filled all clerkship positions through 2021. Please check OSCAR for open positions.

Biography

Federal Judicial Service:

Judge, U. S. District Court, District of Delaware
Nominated by Barack Obama on March 17, 2010, to a seat vacated by Kent A. Jordan; Confirmed by the Senate on August 5, 2010, and received commission on August 10, 2010. Served as Chief Judge, 2014-2021.

U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, 2007-2010.

Education:

University of Delaware, B.S., B.A., M.A., 1991
Magdalen College, University of Oxford, D.Phil., 1993
Yale Law School, J.D., 1996

Professional Career:

Law clerk, Hon. Walter K. Stapleton, U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1996-1997
Private practice, Wilmington, Delaware, 1997-2001
Adjunct professor, University of Delaware, 1998-1999
Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Delaware, 2002-2007

"Discovery Matters" Procedures
a.	Any discovery motion filed without first complying with the following procedures will be denied without prejudice to renew pursuant to these procedures.
b.	Should counsel find, after good faith efforts – including *verbal* communication among Delaware and Lead Counsel for all parties to the dispute – that they are unable to resolve a discovery matter or a dispute relating to a protective order, the parties involved in the discovery matter or protective order dispute shall submit a joint letter in substantially the following form:
Dear Judge Stark:
	The parties in the above-referenced matter write to request the scheduling of a discovery teleconference.
	The following attorneys, including at least one Delaware Counsel and at least one Lead Counsel per party, participated in a verbal meet-and-confer (in person and/or by telephone) on the following date(s): __________________________
	Delaware Counsel: ____________________
	Lead Counsel: ________________________
	The disputes requiring judicial attention are listed below:
	[provide here a non-argumentative list of disputes requiring judicial attention]
c.	On a date to be set by separate order, generally not less than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the conference, the party seeking relief shall file with the Court a letter, not to exceed three (3) pages, outlining the issues in dispute and its position on those issues. On a date to be set by separate order, but generally not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the conference, any party opposing the application for relief may file a letter, not to exceed three (3) pages, outlining that party’s reasons for its opposition.
d.	Each party shall submit two (2) courtesy copies of its discovery letter and any attachments.
e.	Should the Court find further briefing necessary upon conclusion of the telephone conference, the Court will order it. Alternatively, the Court may choose to resolve the dispute prior to the telephone conference and will, in that event, cancel the teleconference.

Motions to Amend
a.	Any motion to amend (including a motion for leave to amend) a pleading shall NOT be accompanied by an opening brief but shall, instead, be accompanied by a letter, not to exceed three (3) pages, describing the basis for the requested relief, and shall attach the proposed amended pleading as well as a “blackline” comparison to the prior pleading.

b.	Within seven (7) days after the filing of a motion in compliance with this Order, any party opposing such a motion shall file a responsive letter, not to exceed five (5) pages.

c.	Within three (3) days thereafter, the moving party may file a reply letter, not to exceed two (2) pages, and, by this same date, the parties shall file a letter requesting a teleconference to address the motion to amend.

Motions to Strike
a.	Any motion to strike any pleading or other document shall NOT be accompanied by an opening brief but shall, instead, be accompanied by a letter, not to exceed three (3) pages, describing the basis for the requested relief, and shall attach the document to be stricken.

b.	Within seven (7) days after the filing of a motion in compliance with this Order, any party opposing such a motion shall file a responsive letter, not to exceed five (5) pages.

c.	Within three (3) days thereafter, the moving party may file a reply letter, not to exceed two (2) pages, and, by this same date, the parties shall file a letter requesting a teleconference to address the motion to strike.

United States District Court

District of Delaware

Honorable Colm F. Connolly, Chief Judge | John A. Cerino - Clerk of Court

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Judge Leonard P. Stark

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New Procedures

Patent Procedures