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

Hon. Jon S. Tigar

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 Tigar — standing order
Hearing days

Judge Tigar hears civil motions on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. Motions must be noticed for a hearing in accordance with Civil Local Rule 7-2(a). Parties must consult Judge Tigar's weekly calendar, available at https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/jst, to determine which dates are available. They need not reserve a hearing date in advance.

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 Tigar — 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 Tigar — standing order
Default practice

The Court may find a matter suitable for disposition without oral argument and vacate the hearing on the matter.

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 Tigar — standing order

Depositions of fact witnesses must be noticed at least 30 days before the close of fact discovery. Speaking objections are prohibited.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Tigar — deviations that burn people
  • Check weekly calendar at cand.uscourts.gov/jst before noticing -- available dates change frequently. The standing order requires this check expressly.
  • All filing deadlines are 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise ordered -- not midnight. Missing this cut-off is a trap.
  • Speaking objections at depositions are prohibited. When privilege is claimed, the witness must still answer questions relevant to existence, extent, or waiver of privilege.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment