Local Rule 144: EXTENDING AND SHORTENING TIME
E.D. Cal. — General rule
RULE 144 (Fed. R. Civ. P. 6)
EXTENDING AND SHORTENING TIME
(a) Extensions on Stipulation. Unless the filing date has been set by order of the Court, an initial stipulation extending time for no more than twenty-eight (28) days to respond to a complaint, cross-claim or counterclaim, or to respond to interrogatories, requests for admissions, or requests for production of documents may be filed without approval of the Court if the stipulation is signed on behalf of all parties who have appeared in the action and are affected by the stipulation. All other extensions of time must be approved by the Court. No open extensions of time by stipulation of the parties will be recognized.
(b) Contents of Application for Extension. All motions for extensions of time shall set forth the total period of extensions already obtained by the parties as to the particular matters for which the extension is sought.
(c) Initial Ex Parte Extension. The Court may, in its discretion, grant an initial extension ex parte upon the affidavit of counsel that a stipulation extending time cannot reasonably be obtained, explaining the reasons why such a stipulation cannot be obtained and the reasons why the extension is necessary. Except for one such initial extension, ex parte applications for extension of time are not ordinarily granted.
(d) Time for Requesting Extensions. Counsel shall seek to obtain a necessary extension from the Court or from other counsel or parties in an action as soon as the need for an extension becomes apparent. Requests for Court-approved extensions brought on the required filing date for the pleading or other document are looked upon with disfavor.
(e) Shortening Time. Applications to shorten time shall set forth by affidavit of counsel the circumstances claimed to justify the issuance of an order shortening time. Ex parte applications to shorten time will not be granted except upon affidavit of counsel showing a satisfactory explanation for the need for the issuance of such an order and for the failure of counsel to obtain a stipulation for the issuance of such an order from other counsel or parties in the action. Stipulations for the issuance of an order shortening time require the approval of the Judge or Magistrate Judge on whose calendar the matter is to be heard before such stipulations are given effect. Any proposed order shortening time shall include blanks for the Court to designate a time and date for the hearing and for the filing of any response to the motion.