Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Edward M. Chen -- United States District Court, Northern District of California
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Discovery supervision is discretionary -- the Court may keep discovery or transfer to a magistrate; do not assume assignment to magistrate until the Court rules.
- 2. When discovery is before Judge Chen, responses to document requests must affirmatively state the full extent of production AND confirm in writing after production is complete -- two separate obligations.
- 3. Deposition objections: speaking objections and coaching objections are prohibited; instructions not to answer are limited to privilege, court-ordered limitations, or FRCP 30(d)(3) motions.
- 4. Pretrial meet-and-confer is required 42 days before final pretrial conference -- an earlier and harder deadline than many judges.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Civil law and motion hearings held in person on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. No reservation required; check Judge Chen's scheduling notes at cand.uscourts.gov for available dates. |
| Motion Limit | Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(b): 25 pages maximum. |
| Reply Limit | Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 15 pages maximum. |
| Chambers Copies | Conditional |
| Discovery | At the Court's discretion. Discovery may be supervised by Judge Chen directly or transferred to a magistrate judge or a special master. When supervised by Judge Chen, detailed discovery standing orders apply (production responses, deposition conduct, objection rules). Parties shall affirmatively state in written responses the full extent of production and confirm in writing after production. [Judge Chen Civil Standing Order on Discovery, Introduction] |
Procedural Briefing by Motion Type
N.D. Cal. · Standing Orders
Procedural Requirements
Key Traps
Compare to Other N.D. Cal. Judges
Procedural facts only. Judges shown to illustrate variance in this district.
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
Civil law and motion hearings held in person on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. No reservation required; check Judge Chen's scheduling notes at cand.uscourts.gov for available dates.
Notice Period
Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(a): 35 days after filing. FRCP 6(d) mail-service extension expressly excluded.
Motion Page / Word Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(b): 25 pages maximum.
Opposition Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 25 pages maximum.
Reply Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 15 pages maximum.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
Conditional
Proposed Orders
Required per district practice. Specific pretrial conference statement required at least 21 days before final pretrial conference, including all claims, defenses, disputed facts, legal issues, witness lists, and settlement status. [Judge Chen Civil Pretrial Instructions, § B]
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Before the Hearing
Oral Argument
Not specified in the extracted discovery and pretrial standing orders. Follows local rules.
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Background Rules
Discovery Referral
At the Court's discretion. Discovery may be supervised by Judge Chen directly or transferred to a magistrate judge or a special master. When supervised by Judge Chen, detailed discovery standing orders apply (production responses, deposition conduct, objection rules). Parties shall affirmatively state in written responses the full extent of production and confirm in writing after production. [Judge Chen Civil Standing Order on Discovery, Introduction]
Discovery Motion Process
Pretrial: lead counsel must meet and confer at least 42 days before final pretrial conference on joint statement, pretrial materials, and settlement. For discovery: parties are expected to follow deposition conduct rules -- cooperation and courtesy required; one attorney per side designated to conduct examination.
Ex Parte Applications
Per Civ. L.R. 7-10: Permitted only if authorized by statute, Federal Rule, local rule, or standing order. Cite authority in motion.
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AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Chen has separate standing orders for discovery and pretrial that supplement his general civil standing order. The discovery order imposes detailed affirmative obligations on document production responses and deposition conduct. When discovery is supervised by Chen directly (not magistrate), these rules are fully operative. Pretrial instructions require a comprehensive joint statement 21 days before the final pretrial conference.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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