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United States District Court for the Northern District of California

9th Circuit San Francisco, California
Official Court Website

About This Court

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Northern District of California is one of the busiest and most prominent federal district courts in the United States. Its jurisdiction covers the northern portion of California, including San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and surrounding counties. The district sits within the Ninth Circuit.

The court is known for its docket of complex civil litigation, particularly in the areas of technology, intellectual property, securities, and antitrust law, reflecting the proximity to Silicon Valley and major financial centers. It frequently handles high-profile class action cases and multidistrict litigation.

The Northern District of California has developed a reputation for sophisticated case management procedures and was among the early adopters of electronic filing and other procedural innovations in the federal court system.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California.

Divisions

San Francisco Division (San Francisco), Oakland Division (Oakland), San Jose Division (San Jose), Eureka Division (Eureka)

Caseload

The court handles a significant volume of intellectual property, securities fraud, antitrust, and technology-related litigation, owing in large part to its geographic proximity to Silicon Valley and major financial institutions. It is also a common venue for high-profile civil rights and environmental cases.

Bar Admission

Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the Northern District of California by applying to the court directly, which generally requires active membership in good standing with the California State Bar or another state bar. Attorneys not admitted in California may apply for admission based on membership in another state bar.

Clerk's Office

450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 522-2000

Active Judges 26

Name Appointed By Confirmed Law School
William Alsup William J. Clinton 1999 Harvard Law School
Saundra Armstrong George H.W. Bush 1991 University of San Francisco School of Law
Charles Breyer William J. Clinton 1997 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Edward Chen Barack Obama 2011 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Maxine Chesney William J. Clinton 1995 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Vince Chhabria Barack Obama 2014 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Jacqueline Corley Joseph R. Biden 2022 Harvard Law School
Edward Davila Barack Obama 2011 University of California Hastings College of the Law (now UC College of the Law, San Francisco)
James Donato Barack Obama 2014 Stanford Law School
Beth Freeman Barack Obama 2014 Harvard Law School
Haywood Gilliam Barack Obama 2014 Stanford Law School
Phyllis Hamilton William J. Clinton 2000 University of Santa Clara (now Santa Clara University) School of Law
Thelton Henderson Jimmy Carter 1980 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Susan Illston William J. Clinton 1995 Stanford Law School
Eumi Lee Joseph R. Biden 2024 Georgetown University Law Center
Rita Lin Joseph R. Biden 2023 Harvard Law School
Araceli Martinez-Olguin Joseph R. Biden 2023 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
William Orrick Barack Obama 2013 Boston College Law School
Patrick Pitts Joseph R. Biden 2023 Yale Law School
Yvonne Rogers Barack Obama 2011 University of Texas School of Law
Richard Seeborg Barack Obama 2009 Columbia Law School
Trina Thompson Joseph R. Biden 2022 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Jon Tigar Barack Obama 2012 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Jeffrey White George W. Bush 2002 State University of New York at Buffalo Law School
Claudia Wilken William J. Clinton 1993 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Noël Wise Joseph R. Biden 2024 Nova University (now Nova Southeastern University) Shepard Broad Law Center

Local Rules

115 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 104

Rule Title
10-1 Amended Pleadings
1-1 Title
1-2 Scope, Purpose and Construction
1-3 Effective Date
1-4 Sanctions and Penalties for Noncompliance
1-5 Definitions
16-1 Definitions
16-10 Case Management Conference
16-2 Order Setting Initial Case Management Conference
16-3 Lead Trial Counsel Required to Confer
16-4 Procedure in Bankruptcy Appeals
16-5 Procedure in Actions for Review on an Administrative Record
16-6 Procedure in U.S. Debt Collection Cases
16-7 Procedure in Other Exempt Cases
16-8 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the Northern District
16-9 Case Management Statement and Proposed Order
23-1 Private Securities Actions
26-1 Custodian of Discovery Documents
30-1 Required Consultation Regarding Scheduling
30-2 Numbering of Deposition Pages and Exhibits
3-1 Regular Session
3-10 Ex Parte Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis
3-11 Failure to Notify of Address Change
3-12 Related Cases
3-13 Notice of Pendency of Other Action or Proceeding
3-14 Disqualification of Assigned Judge
3-15 Disclosure of Conflicts, Interested Entities and Persons, and Citizenship
3-2 Commencement and Assignment of Action
3-3 Assignment of Action to a Judge
33-1 Form of Answers and Objections
33-2 Demands that a Party Set Forth the Basis for a Denial of a Requested Admission
33-3 Motions for Leave to Propound More Interrogatories Than Permitted by Fed. R. Civ. P. 33
3-4 Papers Presented for Filing
34-1 Form of Responses to Requests for Production
3-5 Jurisdictional Statement
3-6 Jury Demand
36-1 Form of Responses to Requests for Admission
36-2 Demands that a Party Set Forth the Basis for a Denial of a Requested Admission
3-7 [moved to 23-1]
37-1 Procedures for Resolving Disputes
37-2 Form of Motions to Compel
37-3 Discovery Cut-Off; Deadline to File Discovery Motions
37-4 Motions for Sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 37
3-8 Claim of Unconstitutionality
3-9 Parties
40-1 Continuance of Trial Date; Sanctions for Failure to Proceed
4-1 Limitation on Service by Marshal
4-2 Service of Supplementary Material
5-1 Electronic Case Filing
5-2 Manual Filing [Withdrawn]
5-3 Facsimile Filings [Withdrawn]
5-4 Drop Box Filings
54-1 Filing of Bill of Costs
54-2 Objections to Bill of Costs
54-3 Standards for Taxing Costs
54-4 Determination of Taxable Costs
54-5 Motion for Attorney's Fees
5-5 Certificate of Service
56-1 Notice of Motion
56-2 Separate or Joint Statement of Undisputed Facts
56-3 Issues Deemed Established
6-1 Enlarging or Shortening Time
6-2 Stipulated Request for Order Changing Time
6-3 Motion to Change Time
65-1 Temporary Restraining Orders
65.1-1 Security
65-2 Motion for Preliminary Injunction
66-1 Appointment of Receiver
66-2 Employment of Attorneys, Accountants or Investigators
66-3 Motion for Fees
66-4 Deposit of Funds
66-5 Reports
66-6 Notice of Hearings
7-1 Motions
7-10 Ex Parte Motions
7-11 Motion for Administrative Relief
7-12 Stipulations
7-13 Notice Regarding Submitted Matters
7-14 Designation Not for Citation [withdrawn]
7-2 Notice and Supporting Papers
72-1 Powers of Magistrate Judge
72-2 Motion for Relief from Nondispositive Pretrial Order of Magistrate Judge
72-3 Motion for De Novo Determination of Dispositive Matter Referred to Magistrate Judge
7-3 Opposition; Reply; Supplementary Material
73-1 Time for Consent to Magistrate Judge
7-4 Brief or Memorandum of Points and Authorities
7-5 Affidavit or Declaration
7-6 Oral Testimony Concerning Motion
7-7 Continuance of Hearing or Withdrawal of Motion
77-1 Locations and Hours
77-2 Orders Grantable by Clerk
77-3 Remote Public Access to Court Proceedings [Revised]
77-4 Official Notices
77-5 Security of the Court
77-6 Weapons in the Courthouse and Courtroom
77-7 Court Library
77-8 Complaints Against Judges
7-8 Motions for Sanctions — Form and Timing
7-9 Motion for Reconsideration
79-1 Transcript and Designation of Record on Appeal
79-2 Exclusions from Record on Appeal
79-3 Files; Custody and Withdrawal
79-4 Custody and Retention of Trial Exhibits
79-5 Filing Documents Under Seal in Civil Cases

General Rules 2

Rule Title
83-1 Method of Amendment
83-2 Procedure for Public Comment on Local Rules

Attorney Rules 9

Rule Title
11-1 The Bar of this Court
11-2 Counsel for the United States
11-3 Pro Hac Vice
11-4 Standards of Professional Conduct
11-5 Withdrawal from Case
11-6 Discipline
11-7 Reciprocal Discipline and Discipline Following Felony Conviction
11-8 Sanctions for Unauthorized Practice
11-9 Student Practice

View all local rules →

Other Courts in the 9th Circuit

Central District of California Los Angeles, California District of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska District of Arizona Phoenix, Arizona District of Guam Hagatna, Guam District of Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii District of Idaho Boise, Idaho District of Montana Missoula, Montana District of Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada District of Oregon Portland, Oregon District of the Northern Mariana Islands Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands Eastern District of California Sacramento, California Eastern District of Washington Spokane, Washington Southern District of California San Diego, California Western District of Washington Seattle, Washington