Northern District of California Exhibit Requirements
The Northern District of California, covering the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, is a premier venue for technology and intellectual property disputes. With divisions in San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland, the court handles major tech industry litigation and has developed sophisticated procedures for complex commercial cases. Judge-specific standing orders and the Patent Local Rules govern most exhibit requirements.
Quick Reference
| E-Filing System | CM/ECF (PACER) |
| File Size Limit | 35 MB per document |
| Plaintiff Marking | PX-1, PX-2, PX-3... |
| Defendant Marking | DX-1, DX-2, DX-3... |
| Exchange Deadline | Per Case Management Order |
| Primary Rule | Civil Local Rules 16-10, 79-2 |
What This Guide Covers
Divisions & Courthouses
San Francisco
- •Philip Burton Federal Building
- •General commercial litigation
- •Class action hub
- •Securities and antitrust cases
San Jose
- •Robert F. Peckham Federal Building
- •Silicon Valley patent cases
- •Technology IP disputes
- •Heavy patent docket
Oakland
- •Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building
- •Civil rights litigation
- •General federal jurisdiction
Judge-Specific Practices
N.D.Cal judges maintain detailed standing orders that frequently address exhibit handling. Patent cases assigned to San Jose judges (including Judges Davila, Freeman, and Gilliam) follow Patent Local Rules with specific claim construction exhibit requirements. San Francisco commercial judges may have different preferences. Always download and review the assigned judge's standing order from the court website before any filing.
Pro Tips for N.D.Cal
- 1ALWAYS check assigned judge's standing order - they vary significantly
- 2San Jose patent judges have specific claim construction exhibit requirements
- 3Use Civil L.R. 79-2 for lodging oversized exhibits
- 4Technology exhibits should be presentation-ready for trials
- 5Coordinate source code exhibit handling with protective orders
- 6E-filing exhibits require specific naming conventions per court guidelines
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Related Court Guides
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