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

Hon. Nathanael M. Cousins

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 Cousins — standing order
Hearing days

Case Management Conferences, 10:00 a.m. each Wednesday, held via Zoom Webinar. Civil hearings, 11:00 a.m. each Wednesday in person.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge Cousins — standing order
Details

Silent on chambers_copies_details.

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 Cousins — standing order

In addition to e-filing, the parties must email a copy of all stipulations and proposed orders in Word format to ncpo@cand.uscourts.gov on the same day they e-file these documents.

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 Cousins — standing order
Default practice

Settlement Conferences are held at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, in person. Requests for conference participation by Zoom or telephone must be made within 7 days after a settlement conference referral.

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 ↗

👤 Judge Cousins — standing order

For all discovery disputes, the parties must meet and confer to attempt to resolve their dispute. The meet and confer must be a direct conversation in person or by telephone or video. A mere exchange of letters, emails, or messages does not satisfy the requirement to meet and confer. If the parties are unable to reach a resolution, they must file a joint statement of five pages or less that: (1) describes each unresolved issue; and (2) states each party's final proposed compromise with respect to each unresolved issue.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Cousins — deviations that burn people
  • Meet and confer for discovery disputes must be a direct conversation (in person, phone, or video) -- email and letter exchanges do not satisfy the requirement.
  • Joint discovery statement is capped at 5 pages with no exhibits or declarations attached without leave of Court.
  • Proposed orders must be emailed to ncpo@cand.uscourts.gov on the same day as e-filing -- not within 48 hours or any other window.
  • Location is San Jose (Courtroom 5, 4th Floor) -- not San Francisco.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment