One way Judge Rakoff moves cases so quickly is to require in his individual rules that motions be discussed first in a telephone conference, which often results in an immediate (or near immediate) ruling.   His rules state that he or his clerks are normally available until 6:00 p.m., but in a transcript made public yesterday, Judge Rakoff suggested that he may pick up the phone later than that:

[ATTORNEY]: [W]hat I would request then is, in the event that we discover something that’s going to extend our ability to make a full and complete production of the non-objectionable documents as of that time, that we have a mechanism to get relief from the order.

THE COURT: I make it very, very easy because under my rules all you have to do is jointly call chambers. We are available well into the evening waiting for your call, feeling lonely if you don’t call. So that’s the way to get it resolved.