UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
STANDING ORDER FOR ALL CIVIL CASES BEFORE
DISTRICT JUDGE JON S. TIGAR
A. Conformity with Rules
The parties must follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Civil Local Rules, and the
General Orders of the Northern District of California, except as superseded by this Court’s
standing orders.
B. Service of This Order
Within five days of the filing of the complaint, the reassignment of a case to this Court, or the
addition of a new party, the plaintiff must serve on all parties a copy of this order and the
Standing Order for All Judges of the Northern District of California: Contents of Joint Case
Management Statement.
C. Court Schedule
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. The Court may reset noticed hearing dates as
its calendar requires. In addition, the Court may find a matter suitable for disposition without
oral argument and vacate the hearing on the matter.
Case management conferences are held on Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.
Trials commence on Mondays at 8:00 a.m. for jury trials and Mondays at 8:30 a.m. for bench
trials. Both jury and bench trials proceed Mondays through Thursdays. Pretrial conferences are
held on Fridays at 2:00 p.m.
Unless otherwise ordered, the Court will conduct pretrial conferences and trials in person, and all
other civil proceedings by Zoom webinar. The Court will entertain stipulated requests, or
motions on good cause, to conduct any proceeding in person. Such requests shall be filed at least
seven days before the scheduled date and, if not stipulated, filed as an administrative motion
under Civil Local Rule 7-11. In all cases, counsel are reminded to read the docket carefully to
determine the manner in which any proceeding will be conducted.
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Scheduling questions may be addressed to Courtroom Deputy Dianna Shoblo at (510) 637-3547
or
[email protected].
All filing deadlines are at 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise ordered.
D. Invitation to Self-Identify Pronouns and Honorifics
Litigants and lawyers are invited to indicate their pronouns (e.g., she/her, he/him, they/them) and
honorifics (e.g., Mr., Ms., Mx., Dr.) by adding the information in the name block or signature
line of a court filing or informing the Court when making an appearance.
E. Joint Case Management Statement and Initial Case Management Conference
Parties are required to file a joint case management statement not less than seven calendar days
before a scheduled case management conference, unless the Court sets a different deadline.
Unless otherwise ordered, the parties’ statement must comply with the terms of the Standing
Order for All Judges of the Northern District of California: Contents of Joint Case Management
Statement. Parties must not incorporate prior case management statements by reference.
In the section of the joint case management statement addressing “Other References,” the parties
must indicate whether all parties consent to the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge. The parties are
advised that they may jointly request assignment to a specific magistrate judge.
F. Discovery Matters
1. Evidence Preservation
Parties must take the steps needed to preserve information relevant to the issues in the litigation,
including suspending document-destruction programs that, if not suspended, could result in
evidence spoliation.
2. Document Responses
To the maximum extent feasible, parties must retain and produce files and records in their
original form and sequence, including file folders, and the originals should remain available for
inspection by any counsel on reasonable notice.
3. Depositions
Depositions of fact witnesses must be noticed at least 30 days before the close of fact discovery.
Counsel must consult in advance with opposing counsel to schedule depositions at a mutually
convenient time and location. Counsel and parties must comply with Rule 30(d)(1) of the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Speaking objections are prohibited. When privilege is
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claimed, the witness must answer questions relevant to the existence, extent, or waiver of the
privilege unless such information is itself privileged.
4. Electronically Stored Information
Parties must review in detail the Northern District’s electronically stored information (“ESI”)
guidelines and checklist for Rule 26(f) conferences, which are available at
https://cand.uscourts.gov/rules-forms-fees/northern-district-guidelines/e-discovery-esi-
guidelines-model-stipulated-orders. The Court discourages deviation from the ESI guidelines
absent good cause. Failure to meet and confer regarding the required topics prior to the initial
case management conference, including alternative dispute resolution and ESI, may, in the
reasonable exercise of the Court’s discretion, result in sanctions or disciplinary action.
5. Stipulated Protective Orders and Orders Re: Discovery of ESI
Parties who seek a protective order or order re: discovery of ESI must, where practicable, use
one of the model stipulated orders available at https://cand.uscourts.gov/rules-forms-
fees/northern-district-guidelines/model-protective-orders or https://cand.uscourts.gov/rules-
forms-fees/northern-district-guidelines/e-discovery-esi-guidelines-model-stipulated-orders.
Parties must file one of the following with any proposed protective order or order re: discovery
of ESI: (a) a declaration stating that the proposed order is identical to one of the model orders
except for the addition of case-identifying information or the elimination of language denoted as
optional; (b) a declaration explaining each modification to the model order, along with a redline
version comparing the proposed order with the model order; or (c) a declaration explaining why
use of one of the model orders is not practicable. Proposed orders that are not accompanied by
one of the required declarations will be denied without prejudice.
6. Discovery Disputes
A party may not file a motion regarding a discovery dispute without leave of court. If a
discovery dispute arises, the parties must meet and confer in good faith to attempt to resolve the
dispute. If the parties are unable to reach a resolution through this process, they must file a joint
letter brief of five pages or less that describes each disputed issue. The joint letter brief must be
filed electronically in the Civil Events category of Motions and Related Filings > Motions –
General > Discovery Letter Brief. After the letter brief is submitted, the Court will advise the
parties as to how it intends to proceed, which may include referral of discovery disputes to a
magistrate judge.
G. Motions for Summary Judgment
Absent good cause, the Court will consider only one motion for summary judgment per party.
Any party wishing to exceed this limit must request leave of court and must show good cause.
The Court generally construes “party” in this context to include affiliates.
Unless otherwise ordered, the parties must meet and confer to determine if they will file cross-
motions for summary judgment. If so, only four briefs will be allowed: (1) opening brief by the
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plaintiff side; (2) opening/opposition brief by the defense side; (3) opposition/reply brief by the
plaintiff side; and (4) reply brief by the defense side. The parties may agree to reverse the order,
and have the defense file its opening brief first, without order of the Court. The first two briefs
are limited to 25 pages; the third brief is limited to 20 pages; and the fourth brief is limited to
15 pages. Before the first brief is filed, the parties must submit a stipulation and proposed order
setting a briefing schedule for the cross-motions. The fourth brief must be filed at least 21 days
before the hearing date.
H. Cross-Motions under Rule 52 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
If parties intend to resolve a case under cross-motions for judgment brought under Rule 52 of the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, they must follow the same briefing and scheduling guidelines
set forth above regarding cross-motions for summary judgment.
I. Class Action Settlements
Any motion for preliminary or final approval of a class action settlement must address the
respective guidelines in the Northern District of California’s Procedural Guidance for Class
Action Settlements, available at https://cand.uscourts.gov/rules-forms-fees/northern-district-
guidelines/procedural-guidance-class-action-settlements, in the order the guidelines are presented
on the website.
As reflected in the Guidance, the Court will require a post-distribution accounting within 21 days
after the distribution of settlement funds. In addition to the information contained in the
Guidance, the post-distribution accounting must discuss any significant or recurring concerns
communicated by class members to the settlement administrator or counsel since final approval,
any other issues in settlement administration since final approval, and how any concerns or
issues were resolved.
The Court will typically withhold between 10% and 25% of the attorney’s fees granted at final
approval until after the post-distribution accounting has been filed. The final approval motion
should specify what percentage class counsel believes it is appropriate to withhold and why.
Class counsel must file a proposed order releasing the remainder of the fees when they file their
post-distribution accounting.
J. Requests for Telephonic Appearance
Requests to appear by telephone are generally unnecessary because Judge Tigar currently
conducts case management conferences and law and motion hearings by video.
When such a request is necessary, parties seeking to appear telephonically must file a stipulation
and proposed order, or an administrative motion and proposed order if a stipulation is not
possible, at least seven calendar days prior to the scheduled appearance. Absent extraordinary
circumstances and a showing of good cause, late requests will be denied.
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If a case management statement is required, parties may not file a request to appear
telephonically at a case management conference until after the case management statement has
been filed.
If a request to appear telephonically is granted, the Court will provide instructions on how to
appear. Where feasible, parties must make telephonic appearances using a land line, rather than
a mobile phone.
K. Requests to Extend Deadlines or Continue Hearing Dates
Requests to extend deadlines or continue hearing dates should be filed at least three business
days prior to the deadline or hearing sought to be extended or continued. If the request is made
by administrative motion rather than stipulation, any opposition must be filed (a) no later than
12:00 p.m. one business day before the deadline or hearing in question or (b) within the time
allowed by Civil Local Rule 7-11, whichever is sooner.
L. Briefing and Filing Guidelines
1. Page Limits
Briefs for summary judgment motions, class certification motions, motions for a preliminary
injunction, motions for preliminary approval of class action settlements, and claim construction
must comply with the page limits in Civil Local Rules 7-2 through 7-4.
For all other types of motions, the opening and opposition briefs must be no more than 15 pages,
and the reply brief must be no more than 10 pages.
These page limits include any summaries of arguments but exclude the title page, table of
contents, table of authorities, signature blocks, and exhibits.
2. Requests to Enlarge Page Limits or Extend Filing Deadlines
Requests to enlarge page limits or extend filing deadlines should be made by stipulation
whenever possible. Requests must be filed at least three business days prior to the filing
deadline.
If a request is opposed, it should be filed as an administrative motion. The opposition must be
filed within the time allowed by Civil Local Rule 7-11 and no later than 12:00 p.m. one business
day before the relevant deadline.
Requests to enlarge page limits will rarely be granted.
3. Footnotes
Footnotes are often unnecessary and must be employed sparingly. When used, they must appear
in no less than 12-point type. Excessive footnotes will be disregarded.
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4. Citations
The Court prefers Westlaw citations for unpublished opinions that are not included in the Federal
Supplement, Federal Rules Decisions, or the Federal Appendix.
5. Format of Electronic Filings
Electronically filed documents must be text-searchable PDFs whenever possible. This
requirement is waived for self-represented litigants who are proceeding without a lawyer.
6. Courtesy Copies
The Court requires courtesy copies of the filings listed below. This requirement is waived for
self-represented litigants who are proceeding without a lawyer. The Court may request courtesy
copies of other documents but discourages their unsolicited submission.
i. Pretrial Filings
Courtesy copies of pretrial filings, including papers associated with motions in limine, must be
lodged with the Clerk’s office in Oakland. They must bear the ECF stamp (case number,
document number, date, and page number) on the top of each page and be double-sided and
three-hole-punched at the left margin. If binders are used, each binder should be no wider than
three inches. Side tabs, rather than bottom tabs, should be used to separate exhibits.
ii. Sealed Documents
Electronic copies of sealed documents are required when a filed document consists of multiple
parts and includes more than one part sought to be filed under seal—for example, a declaration
with six exhibits, three of which are sought to be filed under seal. Parties must submit a single
PDF of the entire document either by (a) following the instructions for Uploading Digital
Exhibits available at https://cand.uscourts.gov/attorneys/attorney-practice-resources, using the
“Chambers Copies ONLY” Case Type, and selecting the “SEALED” dropdown in the box under
“Case Name” or (b) contacting the Courtroom Deputy at
[email protected] to arrange a
different method of delivery (e.g., sharing a secured file link).
Each exhibit must be bookmarked, and sealed material or material sought to be filed under seal
must be highlighted. Where possible, the PDF must bear the ECF stamp (case number,
document number, date, and page number) at the top of each page.
iii. Proposed Orders
Electronic copies of proposed orders must be sent in Word format to
[email protected].
M. Requests for Settlement Conferences with a Magistrate Judge
The Court receives many more requests for magistrate judge settlement conferences than it can
accommodate. As a result, with limited exceptions, the Court generally does not refer cases for
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settlement with a magistrate judge unless the parties have already completed one of the other
processes set forth in ADR Local Rule 3-4: Early Neutral Evaluation, Mediation, or Private
ADR. Parties who complete one of these processes without reaching a settlement may request
referral to a magistrate judge at that time. If the parties believe their case merits an exception to
this rule, they should discuss their views in the initial case management statement. If they seek a
referral before the initial case management conference, they may file a joint request for an early
case management conference.
Dated: June 25, 2026
_____________________________________
JON S. TIGAR
United States District Judge
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