Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Sallie Kim -- United States District Court, Northern District of California
San Francisco Federal Courthouse, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102 (specific courtroom not stated in standing order -- check court website).
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Chambers copies required for EVERY filing under Civil L.R. 5-1 and 5-2 -- not just motion papers. Only exception is the consent/declination form. Failure to lodge is a Local Rule violation.
- 2. Joint discovery letter must NOT contain footnotes -- this is an explicit prohibition, not general discouragement.
- 3. Joint discovery letter must be filed within 5 business days of the M&C -- not within a reasonable time.
- 4. Discovery hearings are in person; telephonic/Zoom appearance requires written request two weeks in advance with good cause shown.
- 5. CMC attendance: parties may not stipulate to continue CMC, status, or pretrial conferences without Court approval.
- 6. Separate statements of undisputed facts on summary judgment will NOT be considered -- do not file them.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Civil motions heard each Monday at 9:30 a.m. (may move to 11:00 a.m. during criminal duty months). Civil case management and status conferences on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. Pretrial conferences on Fridays at 1:30 p.m. Trials begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays. Check scheduling notes at cand.uscourts.gov before noticing. Scheduling: skcrd@cand.uscourts.gov or (415) 522-4158. [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)] |
| 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 | ✓ Required Under Civil L.R. 5-1 and 5-2, parties must lodge an extra paper copy of EVERY filing, EXCEPT written consent/declination forms for... [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)] |
| Remote Appearances | CMCs conducted via Zoom (public webinar). Telephonic CMC attendance may be granted with two-week advance written request showing good cause. Discovery hearings in person; telephonic/Zoom attendance requires written request two weeks in advance. All Zoom hearings and conferences are recorded. |
| Discovery | Judge Kim presides over discovery disputes as the assigned magistrate. Discovery disputes: lead trial counsel must meet and confer in person (or telephonically if in-person is not feasible). File a joint letter within 5 business days of the M&C. Joint letter must not exceed 8 double-spaced pages (excluding cover page) without leave of court; no footnotes; only permitted exhibits are exact copies of interrogatories, requests for production, responses, privilege logs, and relevant deposition testimony. File under ECF: Motions and Related Filings > Discovery Letter Brief. Court will determine further proceedings upon receipt. [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)] |
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 motions heard each Monday at 9:30 a.m. (may move to 11:00 a.m. during criminal duty months). Civil case management and status conferences on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. Pretrial conferences on Fridays at 1:30 p.m. Trials begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays. Check scheduling notes at cand.uscourts.gov before noticing. Scheduling: skcrd@cand.uscourts.gov or (415) 522-4158. [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)]
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
✓ Required
Under Civil L.R. 5-1 and 5-2, parties must lodge an extra paper copy of EVERY filing, EXCEPT written consent/declination forms for magistrate assignment. Chambers copies must: (1) bear the ECF filing stamp (case number, docket number, date, ECF page number) along the top; (2) be three-hole punched on the left side; (3) have exhibits clearly separated by tabs. Mark envelope 'Chambers Copy' and 'Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim' with case number on the envelope. Submit to the Clerk's Office per Civil L.R. 5-1(e)(7) deadlines. [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)]
Proposed Orders
Any stipulation or proposed order in a case subject to e-filing must be submitted in Microsoft Word format by email to skpo@cand.uscourts.gov on the same day the document is e-filed. That address is for proposed orders only. [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)]
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Before the Hearing
Oral Argument
Hearings held as calendared. CMCs conducted via Zoom (public webinar). Motion hearings, CMC, status, and pretrial conferences on Zoom are recorded. In-person hearings are audio recorded. Court reporters only if requested in advance.
Remote Appearances
CMCs conducted via Zoom (public webinar). Telephonic CMC attendance may be granted with two-week advance written request showing good cause. Discovery hearings in person; telephonic/Zoom attendance requires written request two weeks in advance. All Zoom hearings and conferences are recorded.
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Background Rules
Discovery Referral
Judge Kim presides over discovery disputes as the assigned magistrate. Discovery disputes: lead trial counsel must meet and confer in person (or telephonically if in-person is not feasible). File a joint letter within 5 business days of the M&C. Joint letter must not exceed 8 double-spaced pages (excluding cover page) without leave of court; no footnotes; only permitted exhibits are exact copies of interrogatories, requests for production, responses, privilege logs, and relevant deposition testimony. File under ECF: Motions and Related Filings > Discovery Letter Brief. Court will determine further proceedings upon receipt. [Judge Kim's Standing Order (Oct. 2025)]
Discovery Motion Process
For discovery disputes: lead trial counsel must meet and confer in person or telephonically. File joint letter within 5 business days of M&C. Cover page must attest that parties met and conferred in compliance with Section 9 of NDCA Guidelines for Professional Conduct regarding discovery. Court may order further M&C if dispute should be resolved without intervention.
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 Francisco. Civil motions Mondays 9:30am (may shift to 11am during criminal duty months). CMCs by Zoom (public webinar). Chambers copies required for every filing -- three-hole punched, ECF stamp, Clerk's Office envelope marked 'Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim.' Discovery: 8-page joint letter within 5 business days of in-person or telephonic M&C. No footnotes in discovery letters. Proposed orders to skpo@cand.uscourts.gov same day as e-filing.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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