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

Hon. William H. Orrick

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 Orrick — standing order
Hearing days

Civil Law and Motion is generally conducted on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. Hearings may be vacated and determined on the papers.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge Orrick — standing order
Details

No courtesy copies shall be provided, except: (1) courtesy copies of electronic media manually filed shall be provided to chambers; and (2) if the exhibits submitted in support of motions for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, or summary judgment exceed 100 pages, courtesy copies shall be provided in binders with tabs separating each exhibit.

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 Orrick — standing order

Electronic copies of proposed orders must be sent in Word format to whopo@cand.uscourts.gov.

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 Orrick — standing order
Default practice

Unless a request is made for an in-person argument that is granted by Judge Orrick, all civil law and motion hearings will be conducted by Zoom videoconference.

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 Orrick — standing order

In the event of a discovery dispute, lead trial counsel for the parties shall meet and confer in person or by videoconference to attempt to resolve their dispute informally. A mere exchange of letters, e-mails, telephone calls, or facsimile transmissions does not satisfy the requirement to meet and confer. If, after a good faith effort, the parties have not resolved their dispute, they shall prepare a concise joint statement of five pages or less, stating the nature and status of all pending disputes and certifying that they have met the meet-and-confer requirement. Absent an order of this Court, parties shall not file affidavits or exhibits other than copies of the written requests for discovery and the answers or objections thereto. If a joint statement is not possible, each side may submit a brief individual statement of two pages or less. In addition to the certification of compliance with the meet-and-confer requirement, the individual statement shall include an explanation of why a joint statement was not possible. The joint statement or individual statements shall be e-filed in the Civil Events category of Motions and Related Filings > Motions-General > Discovery Letter Brief. The Court will advise the parties of the need, if any, for more formal briefing or a hearing, pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7-1(b). The Court may also elect to refer the matter to a magistrate judge or special master. If a magistrate judge is assigned to a case for discovery, that judge shall handle any future discovery disputes in that case and the parties shall comply with the procedures set by that judge for discovery.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Orrick — deviations that burn people
  • All civil motion hearings are conducted by Zoom by default — do not show up in person. In-person argument must be specifically requested in advance and granted by Judge Orrick.
  • Discovery meet-and-confer must be in person or by videoconference. Email, phone, and letter exchanges do not satisfy the requirement — even a phone call is insufficient.
  • No paper courtesy copies as a matter of course. Only exception: electronic media filed manually, or exhibits exceeding 100 pages for TRO/PI/MSJ.
  • One motion for summary judgment per party; leave required for any additional. Limit applies per party, not per issue.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment