Chief Judge Seeborg's Standing Order For Civil Bench Trials pdf, 186.33 KB; Chief Judge Seeborg's Supplemental Standing Order re: Initial Case Management Conferences pdf, 71.19 KB; Standing Order For All Judges Of The Northern District Of California pdf, 86.54 KB

=== Chief Judge Seeborg's Standing Order For Civil Bench Trials pdf, 186.33 KB ===

t r u o C t c i r t s i D s e t a t S d e t i n U a i n r o f i l a C f o t c i r t s i D n r e h t r o N e h t r o F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA GUIDELINES FOR FINAL PRETRIAL CONFERENCE IN BENCH TRIALS BEFORE CHIEF DISTRICT JUDGE RICHARD SEEBORG A. Meeting and Disclosure Prior to Pretrial Conference At least 21 days before the final Pretrial Conference, lead counsel who will try the case shall meet and confer with respect to: Settlement of the case; Preparation and content of the Joint Pretrial Statement and Order; and Preparation and exchange of pretrial materials to be served and lodged pursuant to Rule 26(a)(3) F.R. Civ. P.; and Clarifying and narrowing the contested issues for trial in order to achieve a just, speedy and efficient determination of the case. B. Joint Pretrial Statement and Order At least ten days before the Pretrial Conference, unless otherwise ordered, the parties shall file and serve a Joint Pretrial Statement and Proposed Order containing the following information: Substance of the Action. A brief description of the parties, the substance of claims and defenses that remain to be decided, and the operative pleadings that raise the issues; Relief Prayed. A detailed statement of all relief claimed, particularly itemizing all elements of damages claimed; Undisputed Facts. A plain and concise statement of all relevant facts to which the parties will stipulate for incorporation into the trial record without the necessity of supporting testimony or exhibits. The parties shall exercise good faith in stipulating to facts that are not reasonably disputable; Disputed Factual Issues. A plain and concise list of the issues of fact that are contested and remain to be litigated at trial; STANDING ORDER t r u o C t c i r t s i D s e t a t S d e t i n U a i n r o f i l a C f o t c i r t s i D n r e h t r o N e h t r o F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Agreed Statement. A statement assessing whether all or part of the action may be presented upon an agreed statement of facts; Stipulations. A statement of proposed stipulations or agreements that will expedite the presentation of evidence; Witnesses to be Called. A list of all witnesses likely to be called at trial, other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal, together with a brief statement following each name describing the substance of the testimony to be given. No party shall be permitted to call any witness in its case in chief who is not disclosed in its pretrial statement without leave of court for good cause; Exhibits, Schedules and Summaries. A list of all documents and other items to be offered as exhibits at the trial, other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal, with a brief statement following each, describing its substance or purpose and the identity of the sponsoring witness; Disputed Legal Issues. Without extended legal argument, a concise statement of each disputed point of law concerning liability or relief, citing supporting statutes and decisions; Pending Motions or Matters. A statement of any motions or matters that must be resolved prior to trial; Bifurcation, Separate Trial of Issues. A statement of whether bifurcation or a separate trial of specific issues is feasible and desired; Estimate of Trial Time. An estimate of the number of hours or days needed for the trial; and, Miscellaneous. Any other matters that will facilitate the just, speedy and efficient determination of the action. C. Binding Effect of the Joint Pretrial Statement and Order The Joint Pretrial Statement and Order described above shall recite, directly above the signature lines of each party, the following: The foregoing admissions having been made by the parties, and the parties having specified the foregoing issues of fact and law remaining to be STANDING ORDER 2 t r u o C t c i r t s i D s e t a t S d e t i n U a i n r o f i l a C f o t c i r t s i D n r e h t r o N e h t r o F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 litigated, this order shall supplement the pleadings and govern the course of trial of this cause, unless modified to prevent manifest injustice. D. Preparation For Trial 1. Exhibits a) At least 10 days before the final Pretrial Conference, the parties shall exchange copies of all exhibits, summaries, charts, and diagrams to be used at trial other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal. b) Each exhibit shall be premarked for identification. Counsel shall meet and confer and reach agreement upon a method for marking exhibits (for example, Plaintiff shall use numbers and Defendant shall use letters, or Plaintiff shall use numbers 100-199 and Defendant shall use numbers 200-299, etc.). c) Unless otherwise ordered, at least five days prior to the commencement of trial the parties shall deliver one (1) set of all pre- marked exhibits contained in a three-ring binder to the judge’s courtroom deputy. d) No party shall be permitted to offer any exhibit at trial that is not disclosed in its pretrial statement without leave of court for good cause, unless it is offered solely for impeachment or rebuttal. 2. Motions in Limine Ordinarily, motions in limine are unnecessary in a bench trial. However, any party believing motions in limine to be necessary shall file and serve any such motions at least ten days before the final Pretrial Conference. Any oppositions thereto shall be filed and served at least three days before the final Pretrial Conference. Unless otherwise ordered, these motions will be deemed submitted without oral argument. 3. Deposition and Discovery Designations Unless otherwise ordered, at least five days before the commencement of trial, the parties shall file and serve any excerpts of deposition testimony or other discovery to be offered at trial, other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal. (A copy of the STANDING ORDER 3 t r u o C t c i r t s i D s e t a t S d e t i n U a i n r o f i l a C f o t c i r t s i D n r e h t r o N e h t r o F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 designated deposition testimony with page and line references, or the interrogatory response or admission shall be provided). Any objections to the use of designated excerpts and any counter-designations of deposition testimony shall be filed and served prior to the commencement of trial. 4. Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law At least five days prior to the pretrial conference, each party shall file and serve proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. The findings of fact shall set forth in simple declarative sentences, separately numbered, all factual contentions relied upon by the party in support of its claims for relief or defenses and shall be free of pejorative language and argument. Conclusions of law shall be supported by appropriate citation to legal authority. The proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law shall be submitted in hard copy as well as in word processing format via email to [email protected]. 5. Trial Briefs Trial briefs are optional, but any party wishing to file a trial brief must do so not less than five days prior to the commencement of trial 6. Transcripts Should a daily transcript and/or realtime reporting be desired, the parties shall make arrangements with the Court Reporter Supervisor at (415) 522-2079 at least 14 calendar days prior to the trial date. DATED: August 25, 2025 ________________________ RICHARD SEEBORG Chief United States District Judge STANDING ORDER 4

=== Chief Judge Seeborg's Supplemental Standing Order re: Initial Case Management Conferences pdf, 71.19 KB ===

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CHIEF JUDGE RICHARD SEEBORG STANDING ORDER RE: INITIAL CASE MANAGEMENT 1. The civil law and motion calendar is heard on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 3, 17th Floor, United States Courthouse, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California. Motions must be noticed for hearing pursuant to Civil L.R. 7. Counsel need not reserve a hearing date in advance for civil motions. However, noticed dates may be reset as the Court's calendar requires. 2. Civil Case Management Conferences will be held on Thursdays at 10 a.m. and Civil Pretrial Conferences will be held on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 3, 17th Floor, United States Courthouse, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California. 3. All scheduling questions should be addressed to Judge Seeborg’s courtroom deputy at 415/522-2123. 4. Parties shall be familiar and comply with the Local Rules. 5. The parties do not need to submit chambers copies for electronically-filed documents. 6. In addition to the requirements of Civil Local Rule 79-5, only for the most compelling reasons will the Court grant a sealing request covering information that relates to potential hazards to the health, safety, or well-being of the public. IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: February 15, 2022 _______________________ Richard Seeborg Chief United States District Judge

=== Standing Order For All Judges Of The Northern District Of California pdf, 86.54 KB ===

STANDING ORDER FOR ALL JUDGES OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CONTENTS OF JOINT CASE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT All judges of the Northern District of California require identical information in Joint Case Management Statements filed pursuant to Civil Local Rule 16-9. The parties must include the following information in their statement which, except in unusually complex cases, should not exceed ten pages: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Jurisdiction and Service: The basis for the court’s subject matter jurisdiction over plaintiff’s claims and defendant’s counterclaims, whether any issues exist regarding personal jurisdiction or venue, whether any parties remain to be served, and, if any parties remain to be served, a proposed deadline for service. Facts: A brief chronology of the facts and a statement of the principal factual issues in dispute. Legal Issues: A brief statement, without extended legal argument, of the disputed points of law, including reference to specific statutes and decisions. Motions: All prior and pending motions, their current status, and any anticipated motions. Amendment of Pleadings: The extent to which parties, claims, or defenses are expected to be added or dismissed and a proposed deadline for amending the pleadings. Evidence Preservation: A brief report certifying that the parties have reviewed the Guidelines Relating to the Discovery of Electronically Stored Information (“ESI Guidelines”), and confirming that the parties have met and conferred pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) regarding reasonable and proportionate steps taken to preserve evidence relevant to the issues reasonably evident in this action. See ESI Guidelines 2.01 and 2.02, and Checklist for ESI Meet and Confer. Disclosures: Whether there has been full and timely compliance with the initial disclosure requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26, and a description of the disclosures made. Discovery: Discovery taken to date, if any, the scope of anticipated discovery, any proposed limitations or modifications of the discovery rules, a brief report on whether the parties have considered entering into a stipulated e-discovery order, a proposed discovery plan pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f), and any identified discovery disputes. Class Actions: If a class action, a proposal for how and when the class will be certified, and whether all attorneys of record for the parties have reviewed the Procedural Guidance for Class Action Settlements. Related Cases: Any related cases or proceedings pending before another judge of this court, or before another court or administrative body. Relief: All relief sought through complaint or counterclaim, including the amount of any damages sought and a description of the bases on which damages are calculated. In addition, any party from whom damages are sought must describe the bases on which it contends damages should be calculated if liability is established. Updated November 30, 2023 1 12. Settlement and ADR: Prospects for settlement, ADR efforts to date, and a specific ADR plan for the case, including compliance with ADR L.R. 3-5 and a description of key discovery or motions necessary to position the parties to negotiate a resolution. 13. Other References: Whether the case is suitable for reference to binding arbitration, a special master, or the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. 14. Narrowing of Issues: Issues that can be narrowed by agreement or by motion, suggestions to expedite the presentation of evidence at trial (e.g., through summaries or stipulated facts), and any request to bifurcate issues, claims, or defenses. The parties shall jointly identify (in bold or highlight) one to three issues which are the most consequential to the case and discuss how resolution of these issues may be expedited. 15. 16. Scheduling: Proposed dates for designation of experts, discovery cutoff, hearing of dispositive motions, pretrial conference and trial. Trial: Whether the case will be tried to a jury or to the court and the expected length of the trial. 17. Disclosure of Non-party Interested Entities or Persons: Whether each party has filed the “Certification of Interested Entities or Persons” required by Civil Local Rule 3-15. In addition, each party must restate in the case management statement the contents of its certification by identifying any persons, firms, partnerships, corporations (including parent corporations) or other entities known by the party to have either: (i) a financial interest in the subject matter in controversy or in a party to the proceeding; or (ii) any other kind of interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding. In any proposed class, collective, or representative action, the required disclosure includes any person or entity that is funding the prosecution of any claim or counterclaim. 18. Professional Conduct: Whether all attorneys of record for the parties have reviewed the Guidelines for Professional Conduct for the Northern District of California. 19. Such other matters as may facilitate the just, speedy and inexpensive disposition of this matter. Updated November 30, 2023 2