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

Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers

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 Rogers — standing order
Hearing days

Civil Law and Motion calendar is conducted on Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.

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 Rogers — standing order

Proposed orders submitted by an ECF user in an ECF case shall be filed in PDF format, and attached to the applicable motion or other document. In addition, proposed orders shall be submitted in a standard word processing format (such as Microsoft Word) to the specific address on the Court's website for emailing proposed orders to the assigned Judge. Proposed orders must conform to the requirements of the assigned Judge's standing orders.

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 Rogers — standing order
Default practice

Frequently, the Court will issue a written order and vacate the hearing unless oral argument appears to be necessary. Where argument is allowed, the Court will attempt to advise counsel in advance of the issues to be addressed.

Remote appearances
👤 Judge Rogers — standing order

The default rule is that all Case Management Conferences are held via Zoom videoconference and all other proceedings are presumed to be 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 ↗

👤 Judge Rogers — standing order

Each Magistrate Judge appointed by the Court is authorized to exercise all powers and perform all duties conferred upon Magistrate Judges by 28 U.S.C. § 636, by the local rules of this Court, and by any written order of a District Judge designating a Magistrate Judge to perform specific statutorily authorized duties in a particular action.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Rogers — deviations that burn people
  • Court routinely vacates hearings and rules on the papers -- do not assume oral argument will occur. Check the docket before appearing.
  • Briefing schedules cannot be changed by stipulation alone -- must obtain leave of court and show good cause, even for routine extensions.
  • Young lawyer oral argument rule: if a lawyer 6 or fewer years out of law school will conduct all or most of argument, file a written request before the Court issues a ruling to trigger oral argument.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment