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

Hon. Richard Seeborg

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 Seeborg — standing order
Hearing days

The civil law and motion calendar is heard on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 3, 17th Floor, United States Courthouse, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California. Counsel need not reserve a hearing date in advance for civil motions.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge Seeborg — standing order
Details

The parties do not need to submit chambers copies for electronically-filed documents.

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 Seeborg — 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 Seeborg — standing order
Default practice

In the Judge's discretion, or upon request by counsel and with the Judge's approval, a motion may be determined without oral argument or by telephone conference call.

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 Seeborg — 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 Seeborg — deviations that burn people
  • Seeborg's published standing order is limited to initial case management -- no individual motion procedures are specified. Local rules govern motion practice in full.
  • No chambers copies required for electronically filed documents -- an explicit departure from default NDCA practice for some judges.
  • Sealing requests involving public health/safety information face a heightened 'most compelling reasons' standard beyond Civ. L.R. 79-5.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment