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

Hon. Jeffrey S. White

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 ↗

👤 Judge White — standing order

Counsel shall not attempt to make contact by telephone or any other ex parte means with the Court or its chambers staff, but may contact the Courtroom Deputy Clerk at (510) 637-3541 or by email at jswcrd@cand.uscourts.gov with appropriate inquiries.

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 White — standing order
Hearing days

Civil Law and Motion calendar and case management conferences are conducted on Fridays at 9:00 a.m.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge White — standing order
Details

Unless the Court directs otherwise the parties shall not submit chambers copies of materials that are filed electronically.

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 White — 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) ↗

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 White — 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 White — deviations that burn people
  • Civil law and motion AND case management conferences are both on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. -- same day/time block. Check the Court's website for scheduling before noticing.
  • No letters to chambers except for discovery disputes or by Court permission. Status reports, continuance requests, and telephonic appearance requests must all be on pleading paper.
  • Related cases: use the terminal digit from the lowest numbered case for motion filing purposes -- a trap for litigants in a related-case cluster.
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment