Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Beth Labson Freeman -- United States District Court, Northern District of California
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Hearing reservation is mandatory -- no reservation, no hearing. Motion must be filed within 14 days or the reservation auto-expires on day 15.
- 2. When reserving, you must inform the courtroom deputy of the number and type(s) of motions -- vague reservations may be problematic.
- 3. Thursdays are dark for trial -- the trial schedule runs Monday/Wednesday/Friday (full day) and Tuesday (starting at 10 a.m.); do not plan trial sessions on Thursdays.
- 4. CMCs are Zoom only (Thursdays at 11:00 a.m.) -- do not appear in person for a CMC.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. by reservation only. Reserve by contacting Courtroom Deputy Clerk Tiffany Salinas-Harwell at 408-535-5381 or BLFCRD@cand.uscourts.gov. When reserving, inform Ms. Salinas-Harwell of the number and type(s) of motions to be filed. [Judge Freeman Standing Order Re Civil Cases (Rev. 9/9/2024), § III.A] |
| Motion Limit | Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(b): 25 pages maximum. Standing order confirms 25/25/15 structure for FRCP 12, 23, and 56 motions absent leave of Court. [Judge Freeman Standing Order Re Civil Cases (Rev. 9/9/2024), § IV.A.1] |
| Reply Limit | Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 15 pages maximum. Standing order confirms 25/25/15 structure for FRCP 12, 23, and 56 motions absent leave of Court. |
| Chambers Copies | Conditional |
| Remote Appearances | Case Management Conferences are via Zoom Webinar on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Civil motion hearings are in person (by reservation, Thursdays at 9:00 a.m.). Final Pretrial Conferences: Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Trial: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Thursdays typically dark. [Judge Freeman Standing Order Re Civil Cases (Rev. 9/9/2024), § III.B] |
| 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 Freeman 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 Clerk Tiffany Salinas-Harwell at 408-535-5381 or BLFCRD@cand.uscourts.gov. When reserving, inform Ms. Salinas-Harwell of the number and type(s) of motions to be filed. [Judge Freeman Standing Order Re Civil Cases (Rev. 9/9/2024), § III.A]
Notice Period
Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(a): 35 days after filing. FRCP 6(d) mail-service extension expressly excluded. Once a hearing date is reserved, the motion must be filed within 14 days. If no motion is filed by the 15th day, the reservation expires and a new reservation must be obtained.
Motion Page / Word Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-2(b): 25 pages maximum. Standing order confirms 25/25/15 structure for FRCP 12, 23, and 56 motions absent leave of Court. [Judge Freeman Standing Order Re Civil Cases (Rev. 9/9/2024), § IV.A.1]
Opposition Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 25 pages maximum. Standing order confirms 25/25/15 structure for FRCP 12, 23, and 56 motions absent leave of Court.
Reply Limit
Per Civ. L.R. 7-4(b): 15 pages maximum. Standing order confirms 25/25/15 structure for FRCP 12, 23, and 56 motions absent leave of Court.
chevron_right
At Filing
Chambers Copies
Conditional
Proposed Orders
Not specifically addressed in extracted standing order text. Follow local rule requirements.
chevron_right
Before the Hearing
Oral Argument
Not specifically addressed in extracted standing order text. Hearings are on the Thursday reservation calendar.
Remote Appearances
Case Management Conferences are via Zoom Webinar on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. Civil motion hearings are in person (by reservation, Thursdays at 9:00 a.m.). Final Pretrial Conferences: Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Trial: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Thursdays typically dark. [Judge Freeman Standing Order Re Civil Cases (Rev. 9/9/2024), § III.B]
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
Joint Case Management Statement required at least 7 days before each CMC; must comply with Standing Order for All Judges re Contents of Joint Case Management Statement and Civ. L.R. 16-9.
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 with Judge Freeman or chambers staff.
chevron_right
AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Freeman sits in San Jose. Civil motions: Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. by reservation (contact BLFCRD@cand.uscourts.gov or 408-535-5381). CMCs: Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. Final pretrial conferences: Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Trial: Mon/Wed/Fri 9am-5pm; Tue 10am-5pm; Thursdays dark. Standing order revised September 9, 2024.
Sources & Currency
verified
Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
Verify now →