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N.D. Cal. · Judge Chesney · Practice Guide

Hon. Maxine M. Chesney

Verified 2026-09-04verify at the court's site ↗

All local rules for N.D. Cal., integrated with this judge's published requirements.

Before You File
Ex parte applications
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

Permitted only if statute, Federal Rule, local rule, or standing order authorizes; cite authority in motion Civ. L.R. 7-10 ↗

Drafting the Motion
Length limits — motion, opposition, reply
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule
Motion

25 pages maximum (motion must be in one document not exceeding 25 pages) Civ. L.R. 7-2(b) ↗

Opposition

25 pages maximum Civ. L.R. 7-4(b) ↗

Reply

15 pages maximum Civ. L.R. 7-4(b) ↗

Filing & Scheduling
Briefing schedule & hearing date
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule
Notice period

35 days after filing (FRCP 6(d) mail-service extension expressly excluded) Civ. L.R. 7-2(a) ↗

Hearing days

Judge's individual law and motion calendar; no district-wide standard hearing day Civ. L.R. 7-2(a) ↗

👤 Judge Chesney — standing order
Hearing days

Civil Law and Motion Calendar is conducted on Fridays at 9:00 a.m.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge Chesney — standing order
Details

Timing: Courtesy copies of filed documents shall be mailed via first class mail to the Clerk's Office on the same day the documents are filed unless the filing is in connection with a hearing to be held within 7 days of the filing, in which case courtesy copies shall be delivered to the Clerk's Office no later than noon on the court day following the filing. Format: Courtesy copies shall be submitted in single-sided format. Any attached exhibits shall be separated by tabbed dividers.

Proposed orders
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

PDF attached to motion; Word format emailed to assigned judge's chambers address Civ. L.R. 5-1(f) ↗

👤 Judge Chesney — standing order

Each party filing or opposing a motion shall also serve and file a proposed order setting forth the relief or action sought and a short statement of the rationale of decision, including citation of authority, that the party requests the Court to adopt.

The Hearing
Oral argument
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

Court may decide without oral argument or by telephone at judge's discretion Civ. L.R. 7-1(b) ↗

Continuances & calendar conflicts
👤 Judge Chesney — standing order

Parties seeking to continue hearings, request special status conferences, modify briefing schedules, or make other procedural changes shall submit a signed stipulation and proposed order, or, if stipulation is not possible, a motion or administrative request in accordance with Civil Local Rule 6-3 or 7-11, as appropriate, and as incorporated by Criminal Local Rule 2-1. Irrespective of whether the parties are in agreement, no changes in the Court's schedule or procedures shall be made except by order of the Court and only upon a showing of good cause.

Discovery
Discovery referral procedure
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

Magistrate judges authorized for all non-dispositive pretrial matters including discovery Civ. L.R. 72-1 ↗

👤 Judge Chesney — standing order

Discovery motions in civil cases will be referred to a Magistrate Judge.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Chesney — deviations that burn people
  • Chambers copies are required -- this is a deviation from many CA-ND judges who have eliminated this requirement. Missing copies is a compliance failure.
  • Proposed orders must include a short statement of rationale and citation of authority -- not just the requested relief. A blank form order is insufficient.
  • Only one SJ motion per party or side absent specific leave granted in advance; statute-of-limitations and exhaustion defenses are examples of issues the Court may allow as an early separate motion.
  • Timing trap on courtesy copies: if the hearing is within 7 days of filing, copies must be delivered to the Clerk's Office by noon the following court day -- not mailed.
  • Any procedural change (continuance, status conference, briefing schedule) requires a signed stipulation + proposed order or a Civ. L.R. 6-3/7-11 motion -- party agreement alone never changes the schedule without a Court order on a showing of good cause.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment
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