CA-ND — Judge-Specific Procedures

N.D. Cal. judges routinely supplement the Civil Local Rules with individual Standing Orders that are binding on all parties in cases before them. The local rules expressly authorize and contemplate this: Civil L.R. 1-5(o) defines Standing Orders as "orders by a Judge governing the conduct of a class or category of actions or proceedings assigned to that Judge."

Standing Orders Can Modify Local Rules

"Nothing in these local rules precludes a Judge from issuing Standing Orders to govern matters not covered by these local rules or by the Federal Rules." Common areas where N.D. Cal. judges deviate from the default local rules in their standing orders include: page limits, chambers copy requirements, pre-filing meet-and-confer requirements for non-discovery motions, hearing schedule (which day of the week motions are heard), requirements for separate statements of undisputed facts in summary judgment, and requirements for joint case management statements.

Notice of Standing Orders Required at Filing

Civil L.R. 4-2(b) requires the plaintiff to serve, along with the complaint and summons, "any pertinent Standing Orders of the assigned Judge." This means the filing party has an affirmative obligation to identify and serve the judge's standing orders on all defendants at the outset of the case.

Policy on Notice Before Sanctions

Civil L.R. 1-5(o) further provides: "It is the policy of the Court to provide notice of any applicable Standing Orders to parties before they are subject to sanctions for violating such orders."

Where to Find Standing Orders

Individual judge standing orders are published on each judge's page of the court's website at cand.uscourts.gov/judges. LawSnap maintains individual judge guides for N.D. Cal. judges covering their standing orders, motion practice preferences, page limits, and hearing policies. See LawSnap's N.D. Cal. judge pages for judge-level detail on the 36 active district and magistrate judges covered in this district.