Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Susan van Keulen -- United States District Court, Northern District of California
Courtroom 6, 4th Floor, Robert F. Peckham Federal Building & United States Courthouse, 280 South 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Discovery joint statement must include a landscape-format joint chart of each disputed discovery request -- this is a hard format requirement, not optional.
- 2. Discovery joint statement word version of chart AND each party's proposed order must be emailed to svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov in addition to ECF filing.
- 3. Discovery joint statement must be filed no later than 7 days after the discovery cut-off date per Civ. L.R. 37-3.
- 4. Footnotes used for argument will not be considered by the Court and may result in the filing being stricken.
- 5. Motions to strike affirmative defenses may NOT be filed without leave of Court -- seek leave via Civ. L.R. 7-11 administrative motion.
- 6. AI-generated content: counsel must personally verify all citations; errors by AI tools are imputed to the signing attorney and may result in sanctions.
- 7. Consent/declination must be filed simultaneously with any dispositive motion if not yet submitted.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Civil case management conferences on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. Civil motions on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. Civil pretrial conferences on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. No reservation required; confirm court is available at cand.uscourts.gov before noticing. Scheduling questions: svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov or (408) 535-5363. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)] |
| 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 No chambers copies required per Civil Local Rule 5-1(d)(7) unless specifically requested by the Court. If requested, notify the courtroom... [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)] |
| Remote Appearances | Initial CMCs, status conferences, and OSC hearings in re settlement/dismissal by Zoom. All civil discovery and motion hearings in person in Courtroom 6. To appear remotely at a normally-in-person hearing, file an administrative motion at least 5 days before the hearing. |
| Discovery | Judge van Keulen presides over discovery disputes as the assigned magistrate. Discovery disputes: meet and confer in person or by videoconference (letters/emails/phone calls/voicemails do not suffice), then file a joint statement not exceeding 10 pages (double-spaced, 12-point, text-searchable PDF). Opening paragraph must state discovery cut-off dates, trial date if set, and each unresolved issue with each party's proposed compromise. If specific requests are disputed, attach a landscape-format joint chart (request | response | requesting party's proposed compromise | objecting party's proposed compromise | court's use). Word version of chart and each party's proposed order emailed to svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov. File under ECF: Motions and Related Filings > Discovery Letter Brief. Must be filed no later than 7 days after the discovery cut-off per Civ. L.R. 37-3. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)] |
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 case management conferences on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. Civil motions on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. Civil pretrial conferences on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. No reservation required; confirm court is available at cand.uscourts.gov before noticing. Scheduling questions: svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov or (408) 535-5363. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)]
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
No chambers copies required per Civil Local Rule 5-1(d)(7) unless specifically requested by the Court. If requested, notify the courtroom deputy at svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov upon delivery. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)]
Proposed Orders
All stipulations and proposed orders emailed in Word format to svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov on the same day as e-filing. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)]
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Before the Hearing
Oral Argument
All civil discovery and motion hearings in person in Courtroom 6 unless otherwise noticed. Initial CMCs, status conferences, and OSC hearings re settlement/dismissal by Zoom. Specific Zoom instructions posted on ECF no later than 48 hours in advance. Any deviation requires prior approval; file administrative motion at least 5 days before hearing. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)]
Remote Appearances
Initial CMCs, status conferences, and OSC hearings in re settlement/dismissal by Zoom. All civil discovery and motion hearings in person in Courtroom 6. To appear remotely at a normally-in-person hearing, file an administrative motion at least 5 days before the hearing.
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Background Rules
Discovery Referral
Judge van Keulen presides over discovery disputes as the assigned magistrate. Discovery disputes: meet and confer in person or by videoconference (letters/emails/phone calls/voicemails do not suffice), then file a joint statement not exceeding 10 pages (double-spaced, 12-point, text-searchable PDF). Opening paragraph must state discovery cut-off dates, trial date if set, and each unresolved issue with each party's proposed compromise. If specific requests are disputed, attach a landscape-format joint chart (request | response | requesting party's proposed compromise | objecting party's proposed compromise | court's use). Word version of chart and each party's proposed order emailed to svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov. File under ECF: Motions and Related Filings > Discovery Letter Brief. Must be filed no later than 7 days after the discovery cut-off per Civ. L.R. 37-3. [Judge van Keulen's Civil and Discovery Referral Matters Standing Order (Feb. 2026)]
Discovery Motion Process
Discovery M&C must be in person or by videoconference, conducted by counsel with authority to negotiate and compromise. A mere exchange of letters, emails, telephone calls, or voicemail messages does not satisfy the requirement. If unresolved, file a 10-page joint statement (exclusive of caption page) in ECF under Discovery Letter Brief.
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
Magistrate Judge, San Jose (Courtroom 6, 4th Floor). Civil motions Tuesdays 10am. CMC Tuesdays 9:30am (Zoom). Discovery and motion hearings in person. Discovery disputes: 10-page joint statement with mandatory landscape-format chart of disputed requests; Word versions to svkcrd@cand.uscourts.gov. No chambers copies unless requested. AI disclosure obligations are explicit and sanction-backed.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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