judge console · N.D. Cal.
N.D. Cal. · Judge Corley · Practice Guide

Hon. Jacqueline Scott Corley

Verified 2026-06-26verify at the court's site ↗

All local rules for N.D. Cal., integrated with this judge's published requirements.

Before You File
Ex parte applications
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

Permitted only if statute, Federal Rule, local rule, or standing order authorizes; cite authority in motion Civ. L.R. 7-10 ↗

Drafting the Motion
Length limits — motion, opposition, reply
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule
Motion

25 pages maximum (motion must be in one document not exceeding 25 pages) Civ. L.R. 7-2(b) ↗

Opposition

25 pages maximum Civ. L.R. 7-4(b) ↗

Reply

15 pages maximum Civ. L.R. 7-4(b) ↗

Filing & Scheduling
Briefing schedule & hearing date
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule
Notice period

35 days after filing (FRCP 6(d) mail-service extension expressly excluded) Civ. L.R. 7-2(a) ↗

Hearing days

Judge's individual law and motion calendar; no district-wide standard hearing day Civ. L.R. 7-2(a) ↗

👤 Judge Corley — standing order
Hearing days

Civil motions are heard in person on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 8, 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, California. The Court may notify the parties in advance of the hearing that it will be heard via Zoom rather than in person, but the default rule is that motions are heard in person. Parties may stipulate/request to have a hearing by Zoom video, but they must do so at least one week in advance of the hearing.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge Corley — standing order
Details

Chambers copies are generally not required; however, the Court may request that a party provide chambers copies for particularly voluminous filings. If the Court does so, the chambers copies should be double-sided (when possible) and three-hole punched along the left side of the page, and should bear the ECF filing 'stamp' (case number, docket number, date, and ECF page number) along the top of the page.

Proposed orders
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

PDF attached to motion; Word format emailed to assigned judge's chambers address Civ. L.R. 5-1(f) ↗

👤 Judge Corley — standing order

The Court does not require electronic copies of proposed orders. If the Court requires electronic copies of a filing, it will specifically request it from the parties. Parties should not otherwise email jsccrd@cand.uscourts.gov with electronic copies of filings.

The Hearing
Oral argument
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

Court may decide without oral argument or by telephone at judge's discretion Civ. L.R. 7-1(b) ↗

👤 Judge Corley — standing order
Default practice

Civil motions are heard in person on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 8, 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, California. The Court may notify the parties in advance of the hearing that it will be heard via Zoom rather than in person, but the default rule is that motions are heard in person.

Discovery
Discovery referral procedure
🏛 N.D. Cal. local rule

Magistrate judges authorized for all non-dispositive pretrial matters including discovery Civ. L.R. 72-1 ↗

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Corley — deviations that burn people
  • Default is in-person on Thursdays -- Zoom requests must be made at least one week in advance with good cause; living outside the District is explicitly not sufficient cause.
  • Do not email the courtroom deputy with electronic copies of filings or proposed orders unless specifically requested -- standing order expressly prohibits this.
  • Case management conferences are videoconference (Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m.), not in-person -- switched as of February 1, 2025.
  • If chambers copies are requested, the format requirements are specific: double-sided, three-hole punched left, ECF stamp on top, exhibits labeled right side.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment