Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Edward J. Davila -- United States District Court, Northern District of California
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Hearing reservation is mandatory -- no reservation, no hearing. Motions must be filed within 14 days of the reservation or the reservation expires automatically.
- 2. Absolute prohibition on letter briefs and letter communications to chambers: Davila does not read or respond to them even if docketed. All requests must be by motion or stipulation.
- 3. No ex parte communications of any kind without advance authorization -- not even scheduling inquiries via email.
- 4. Amended complaints must attach a red-line exhibit showing all changes from the prior complaint.
- 5. Footnotes must be 12-point minimum and double-spaced -- a common formatting trap when copying from standard templates.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. by reservation only. Reserve by contacting Courtroom Deputy Chere Robinson at (408) 535-5356 or ejdcrd@cand.uscourts.gov. Motions must be filed within 14 calendar days of reservation. Briefing schedule must allow at least 14 days between the final filing and the hearing date. [Judge Davila Standing Order for Civil Cases (Aug. 2022), § IV.A.1-3] |
| Motion Limit | Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(b): 25 pages maximum. Motions must comply with Civ. L.R. 3-4 general requirements and Civ. L.R. 7-2 and 7-3 page limits. Footnotes must be no less than 12-point type and double-spaced. [Judge Davila Standing Order for Civil Cases (Aug. 2022), § IV.A.4] |
| Reply Limit | Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 15 pages maximum. Footnotes must be no less than 12-point type and double-spaced. |
| Chambers Copies | Conditional |
| Discovery | Not specifically addressed in extracted standing order text. Follows district default under Civ. L.R. 37. |
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.
mail Subscribe to Judge Davila procedures email updates
Primary sources. No fluff. Straight to your inbox.
chevron_right
Before You File
Motion Days & Times
Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. by reservation only. Reserve by contacting Courtroom Deputy Chere Robinson at (408) 535-5356 or ejdcrd@cand.uscourts.gov. Motions must be filed within 14 calendar days of reservation. Briefing schedule must allow at least 14 days between the final filing and the hearing date. [Judge Davila Standing Order for Civil Cases (Aug. 2022), § IV.A.1-3]
Notice Period
Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(a): 35 days after filing. FRCP 6(d) mail-service extension expressly excluded. Motions must be filed within 14 calendar days of reserving a hearing date; failure to timely file results in expiration of the reservation without further notice.
Motion Page / Word Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(b): 25 pages maximum. Motions must comply with Civ. L.R. 3-4 general requirements and Civ. L.R. 7-2 and 7-3 page limits. Footnotes must be no less than 12-point type and double-spaced. [Judge Davila Standing Order for Civil Cases (Aug. 2022), § IV.A.4]
Opposition Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 25 pages maximum. Footnotes must be no less than 12-point type and double-spaced.
Reply Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 15 pages maximum. Footnotes must be no less than 12-point type and double-spaced.
chevron_right
At Filing
Chambers Copies
Conditional
Proposed Orders
Not specifically addressed in extracted standing order text. Follow local rule requirements. All requests requiring the Court to take action must be made by Stipulation and Proposed Order or by appropriate motion -- not by letter.
chevron_right
Before the Hearing
Oral Argument
Not specifically addressed in extracted standing order text beyond scheduling. Hearings are on the Thursday calendar.
chevron_right
Background Rules
Discovery Referral
Not specifically addressed in extracted standing order text. Follows district default under Civ. L.R. 37.
Discovery Motion Process
Not specified in standing order beyond local rule requirements.
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. No ex parte communications by telephone, fax, email, or any other means unless authorized in advance. Judge Davila does not review or respond to letters or letter briefs even if filed on the docket. [Judge Davila Standing Order for Civil Cases (Aug. 2022), § II]
chevron_right
AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Davila sits in San Jose. Civil motions: Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. by reservation. Contact courtroom deputy Chere Robinson (ejdcrd@cand.uscourts.gov or (408) 535-5356) to reserve. The 14-day file-after-reservation rule is a hard deadline with automatic expiration. Letter-brief practice is expressly prohibited. Standing order updated August 2022; applies to all motions filed after September 1, 2022.
Sources & Currency
verified
Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
Verify now →