California Federal Court Filing Formatting Rules: Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southern Districts

California federal filing format is district-specific. There is no single statewide "California federal court format" rule for civil pleadings, motions, briefs, exhibits, captions, signatures, or electronic filing.

On This Page

• Quick Answer
• Scope and Date Reviewed
• California Federal Filing Formatting Rules at a Glance
• Federal Baseline Rules
• Central District of California Filing Formatting Rules
• Northern District of California Filing Formatting Rules
• Eastern District of California Filing Formatting Rules
• Southern District of California Filing Formatting Rules
• What Is Actually Different About California Federal Filing Format
• FAQ
• Primary Source Index

For ordinary civil filings in California federal court, start with the local rules for the district where the case is pending: the Central District of California Local Civil Rules, the Northern District of California Civil Local Rules, the Eastern District of California Local Rules, or the Southern District of California Local Rules.

The federal rules still matter. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10 supplies the baseline rules for captions, pleading paragraphs, and exhibits attached to pleadings. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2 supplies the federal privacy-redaction rule. But the formatting details that make a document look like a California federal filing usually come from the district's local rules.

Quick Answer

For ordinary civil filings in the Northern District of California, the main formatting rule is Civil Local Rule 3-4, "Papers Presented for Filing." Civil Local Rule 3-4 requires first-page party and attorney information, court title, case title, case number, paper title, numbered lines, double spacing, no more than 28 lines per page, and a footer with the paper title or abbreviation and case number after assignment. Unless a judge's standing order or other court instruction requires otherwise, Northern District text, including footnotes and quotations, must be in a standard proportionally spaced font such as Times New Roman or Century Schoolbook, 12-point type or larger, and spaced no more than 10 characters per horizontal inch.

For Central District civil filings, the main formatting rule is Local Rule 11-3. For Eastern District civil filings, the main formatting rule is Local Rule 130, with caption requirements in Local Rule 133. For Southern District civil filings, the main formatting rule is Civil Local Rule 5.1.

Scope and Date Reviewed

This guide summarizes primary-source rules for ordinary civil filings in the United States District Courts for the Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California. It was reviewed against the sources linked in this article as of June 10, 2026.

This article does not cover judge-specific standing orders, individual practices, criminal rules, bankruptcy rules, appellate rules, patent local rules, admiralty rules, case-type-specific procedures, emergency procedures, or every CM/ECF filing instruction. Always check the assigned judge's standing orders and any case-specific order.

California Federal Filing Formatting Rules at a Glance

Federal Baseline Rules

FRCP 10(a) requires every pleading to have a caption with the court's name, a title, a file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation. The complaint must name all parties in the title. Later pleadings may name the first party on each side and refer generally to the other parties.

FRCP 10(b) requires claims or defenses to be stated in numbered paragraphs, each limited as far as practicable to a single set of circumstances. Separate claims based on separate transactions or occurrences, and separate defenses other than denials, should be stated in separate counts or defenses if doing so would promote clarity.

FRCP 10(c) says a statement in a pleading may be adopted by reference elsewhere in the same pleading or in another pleading or motion. It also says a written instrument attached as an exhibit to a pleading is part of the pleading for all purposes.

FRCP 5.2 supplies the federal privacy-redaction rule. Unless the court orders otherwise, a filing containing a Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, birth date, minor's name, or financial account number may include only the last four digits of the Social Security or taxpayer identification number, the year of birth, the minor's initials, and the last four digits of the financial account number.

Those federal rules are only the starting point. California's federal districts add local formatting requirements, and those local requirements are not identical.

Central District of California Filing Formatting Rules

Central District Rule Summary

• Main formatting rule: Local Rule 11-3, "Documents Presented to the Court - Form and Format."
• Font: Local Rule 11-3.1.1 allows proportionally spaced or monospaced font. A proportionally spaced font must be standard, non-condensed, and 14-point or larger unless the court orders otherwise. A monospaced font may not contain more than 10.5 characters per inch.
• Paper, spacing, and lines: Local Rule 11-3.2 requires 8.5-by-11-inch format, numbered lines on the left margin, no more than 28 lines per page, double spacing, and consecutive line numbering.
• Page numbering and binding: Local Rule 11-3.3 requires consecutive page numbering at the bottom of each page. Local Rule 11-3.5 requires paper filings and mandatory chambers copies, when required, to be two-hole punched and firmly bound at the top.
• Caption and title page: Local Rule 11-3.8 governs attorney information, clerk space, court title, party names, docket number, document description, and hearing information.
• Brief length: Local Rule 11-6.1 sets a 7,000-word limit for memoranda of points and authorities and briefs unless otherwise ordered. Local Rule 11-6.2 requires a certificate of compliance for briefs subject to the word limit.
• Tables: Local Rule 11-8 requires a table of contents and table of authorities for memoranda or briefs exceeding 10 pages, excluding exhibits.
• Electronic filing: Local Rule 5-4.3.1 requires PDF filing and generally requires searchable PDFs created from the original word-processing file.
• Electronic signatures: Local Rule 5-4.3.4 governs signature blocks, "/s/" signatures, digitized personalized signatures, and scanned signature pages for non-registered signatories.

Central District Font, Spacing, and Line Numbering

The Central District's general document-formatting rule is Local Rule 11-3. Local Rule 11-3.1 requires pleadings, motions, affidavits, declarations, briefs, points and authorities, and other documents, including exhibits, to be typewritten, printed, photocopied, or otherwise duplicated in a way that produces clear and permanent copies equally legible to printing, in black or dark blue ink.

Local Rule 11-3.1.1 permits either proportionally spaced or monospaced font. A proportionally spaced font must be standard, non-condensed, and 14-point or larger unless the court orders otherwise. A monospaced font may not contain more than 10.5 characters per inch.

Local Rule 11-3.2 requires documents to be formatted for 8.5-by-11-inch paper and numbered on the left margin with not more than 28 lines per page. The lines on each page must be double-spaced and numbered consecutively, with line 1 beginning at least one inch below the top edge of the paper. Paper filings and mandatory chambers copies must be on opaque, unglazed white paper, and only one side of the paper may be used.

Local Rule 11-3.3 requires consecutive page numbering at the bottom of each page. Local Rule 11-3.6 requires double spacing, including citations and quotations. Local Rule 11-3.7 requires quotations from cited cases or other authorities that are more than one sentence long to be indented.

Central District Caption, Brief Limits, Tables, and ECF

The Central District has a detailed title-page rule. Under Local Rule 11-3.8, attorney or pro se party information begins at line 1 at the left margin and is single-spaced. The area between lines 1 and 7 to the right of the center of the page is left blank for the clerk. The title of the court is centered on or below line 8. Party names appear below the court title and to the left of center. The docket number appears to the right of center, opposite the party names, followed by a concise document description and then hearing date and time.

Brief length is governed by Local Rule 11-6.1. Unless a judge orders otherwise, a memorandum of points and authorities, pretrial brief, trial brief, or posttrial brief may not exceed 7,000 words. The word count includes headings, footnotes, and quotations, but excludes the caption, table of contents, table of authorities, signature block, required certificate, indices, and exhibits. Local Rule 11-6.2 requires a certificate of compliance for briefs subject to the word limit.

Local Rule 11-8 requires a memorandum of points and authorities or brief exceeding 10 pages, excluding exhibits, to include an indexed table of contents and an indexed table of cases, statutes, rules, and other authorities cited.

For electronic filing, Local Rule 5-4.3.1 requires documents to be filed in PDF. The filed document generally must be created in word-processing software and published to PDF from the original word-processing file so that the electronic version can be searched. Scanned PDF images are prohibited except for specified categories, including certain exhibits and records. Individual PDF files may not exceed 35 MB and may contain no more than one document or portion of one document per file.

Local Rule 5-4.3.4 governs electronic signatures. For a document with a single registered CM/ECF filer as signatory, the PACER login and password function as the signature, and the document must include a signature block with either "/s/" or a digitized personalized signature on the signature line. For documents requiring signatures from people other than registered CM/ECF filers, such as declarations, the filer must scan the hand-signed signature page.

Northern District of California Filing Formatting Rules

Northern District Rule Summary

• Main formatting rule: Civil Local Rule 3-4, "Papers Presented for Filing."
• First page: Civil Local Rule 3-4(a) requires counsel or pro se party information in the upper left corner and, beginning on the eighth line unless more space is needed, the court title, action title, case number, paper title, and other matter required by Civil Local Rule 3.
• Font: Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(2) requires a standard proportionally spaced font such as Times New Roman or Century Schoolbook, 12-point type or larger, unless a judge's standing order or other court instruction requires otherwise. Text must be spaced no more than 10 characters per horizontal inch.
• Spacing and lines: Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(2) requires double spacing and no more than 28 lines per page, with exceptions for counsel identification, the case title, footnotes, and quotations.
• Paper format: Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(1) requires manually filed papers to be on 8.5-by-11-inch white paper with numbered lines, flat, unfolded unless necessary for exhibits, without back or cover, and firmly bound.
• Footer: Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(3) requires each filed paper, except exhibits, to have a footer with the title of the paper or a clear abbreviation. After a case number is assigned, the case number must be included in the footer.
• Motion briefs: Civil Local Rule 7-4 requires motion briefs to comply with Civil Local Rule 3-4. Civil Local Rule 7-4(b) limits moving and opposition briefs to 25 pages of text and reply briefs to 15 pages of text unless otherwise ordered.
• ECF and chambers copies: Civil Local Rule 5-1 designates cases for ECF unless exempted. Civil Local Rule 5-1(d)(7) says no chambers copy or courtesy copy of an electronically filed document should be submitted unless required or requested by the assigned judge.
• Electronic signatures: Civil Local Rule 5-1(i) governs electronic signatures, ECF user signatures, non-ECF signatories, multiple-signature documents, attestations, and retained signature records.

Northern District Font, Spacing, and Line Numbering

The Northern District's general filing-format rule is Civil Local Rule 3-4. Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(1) requires manually filed papers to be on 8.5-by-11-inch white paper with numbered lines, flat, unfolded unless necessary for exhibits, without back or cover, and firmly bound.

Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(2) requires text to appear on one side only and to be double-spaced with no more than 28 lines per page, except for counsel identification, the title of the case, footnotes, and quotations. Unless a judge's standing order or other court instruction requires otherwise, text, including footnotes and quotations, must be in a standard proportionally spaced font such as Times New Roman or Century Schoolbook, 12-point type or larger, and spaced no more than 10 characters per horizontal inch.

Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(3) requires each filed paper, except exhibits, to have a footer on the lower margin of each page stating the title of the paper or a clear abbreviation. Once the court assigns a case number, the case number must be included in the footer.

Northern District Caption and First Page Requirements

Civil Local Rule 3-4(a) specifies what must appear on the first page. The upper left corner must contain counsel's name, address, telephone number, email address, and state bar number, or the equivalent contact information for a pro se party. If counsel is appearing pro hac vice, the rule also requires information for the member of the bar of the court who maintains an office within California.

Beginning on the eighth line, except where additional space is needed for counsel identification, the first page must include the title of the court, including the appropriate division or location; the title of the action; the case number followed by the initials of the assigned district judge or magistrate judge and, if applicable, the magistrate judge to whom the action is referred; a title describing the paper; and any other matter required by Civil Local Rule 3.

Northern District Motion Briefs, ECF, and Signatures

Motion briefs are addressed in Civil Local Rule 7-4. A brief or memorandum filed in support, opposition, or reply must comply with Civil Local Rule 3-4. It must include, on the first page in the space opposite the caption and below the case number, the noticed hearing date and time. If the brief exceeds 10 pages, it must include a table of contents and table of authorities. It must also contain a statement of the issues to be decided, a succinct statement of relevant facts, and argument with citations.

Civil Local Rule 7-4(b) sets page limits rather than word limits. Unless the court orders otherwise, briefs or memoranda filed with moving papers and opposition papers may not exceed 25 pages of text, and reply briefs may not exceed 15 pages of text.

Electronic filing is governed by Civil Local Rule 5-1. All cases are designated for ECF unless exempted by court order. For represented parties, civil complaints and other case-initiating documents generally must be filed electronically. Civil Local Rule 5-1(d)(7) says no chambers copy or courtesy copy of an electronically filed document should be submitted unless required by the assigned judge's standing order or requested by the assigned judge.

Civil Local Rule 5-1(i) governs electronic signatures. A document electronically filed with the court is deemed signed when it identifies the signatory and complies with the rule's signature methods. For ECF users, filing with the user's ID and password can satisfy the signature requirement. For non-ECF signatories or multiple-signature documents, the filer may attest to concurrence and must maintain supporting records until one year after final resolution of the action, including appeal.

Eastern District of California Filing Formatting Rules

Eastern District Rule Summary

• Main formatting rule: Local Rule 130, "General Format of Documents."
• Electronic appearance: Local Rule 130(a) requires electronically filed documents to be created and formatted so that their electronic and printed appearance complies with the requirements for conventionally filed paper documents.
• Paper, spacing, and lines: Local Rule 130(b) requires white, unglazed opaque 8.5-by-11-inch paper with numbered lines in the left margin for conventionally filed documents, lodged documents, and chambers courtesy copies. Local Rule 130(c) requires double spacing with listed exceptions.
• Pagination and document description: Local Rule 130(d) requires consecutive page numbering at the bottom and a brief description of the document on the same line.
• Counsel identification and signatures: Local Rule 131 governs counsel information, pro se party information, electronic signatures, "/s/" signatures, and retention of original non-attorney signatures.
• Caption and first page: Local Rule 133(g) requires the caption and title after counsel identification, beginning on the eighth line unless more space is needed.
• Tables: Local Rule 133(k) requires indexed tables for briefs exceeding 15 pages.
• Exhibits: Local Rule 138 governs exhibits and scanned-document readability.

Eastern District Format, Caption, and Signatures

The Eastern District's general document-formatting rule is Local Rule 130. Local Rule 130(a) says electronically filed documents must be created and formatted so that, in appearance and presentation both electronically and when printed, they comply with the requirements for conventionally filed paper documents.

Local Rule 130(b) requires conventionally filed documents, lodged documents, and chambers courtesy copies to be on white, unglazed opaque paper of good quality with numbered lines in the left margin, 8.5 by 11 inches in size. They must be flat, unfolded except where necessary for exhibits, firmly bound at the top left corner, two-hole punched at the top, and presented on one side of each sheet only.

Local Rule 130(c) requires double spacing except for counsel identification, title of the action, category headings, footnotes, quotations, exhibits, and real-property descriptions. Quotations of more than 50 words must be indented. Local Rule 130(d) requires each page to be numbered consecutively at the bottom and to provide a brief description of the document on the same line.

Counsel identification and signatures are governed by Local Rule 131. Under Local Rule 131(a), attorney name, address, telephone number, California State Bar number, and the specific identification of each represented party must appear in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. For parties appearing in propria persona, the name, address, and telephone number must appear there.

Local Rule 131(c) provides that anything filed using an attorney's name, login, and password is deemed signed by that attorney for all purposes, including FRCP 11. The rule gives "/s/ John M. Barrister, Esquire" as an example. Local Rule 131(f) allows certain non-attorney signatures to be submitted electronically with "/s/" and the person's name, together with a statement that counsel has the signed original, and requires counsel to maintain the original signature for one year after exhaustion of appeals.

Local Rule 133 covers filing and contents of documents. Local Rule 133(g) requires the caption and title to appear after counsel identification and beginning on the eighth line of the initial page, except where more space is required for identification. The first page must include the title of the court, the title of the action, the file number followed by the initials of the assigned judge and magistrate judge, a title describing the document, hearing information immediately below the case number and document title, and any other matter required by the local rules.

Local Rule 133(k) requires briefs exceeding 15 pages to be accompanied by an indexed table of contents related to headings or subheadings and an indexed table of statutes, rules, ordinances, cases, and other authorities cited.

The Eastern District's exhibit rule is Local Rule 138. For pretrial and post-trial exhibits and affidavits, Local Rule 138(c) generally requires electronic format unless paper filing is permitted or required. Scanned black-and-white documents should be scanned in black and white at 300 dpi if possible, and counsel must verify the readability of scanned documents before filing electronically. Current CM/ECF size limits are incorporated by reference to the court's CM/ECF Court Information page rather than stated as a fixed number in the local rule.

Southern District of California Filing Formatting Rules

Southern District Rule Summary

• Main formatting rule: Civil Local Rule 5.1, "Form; Paper; Legibility; Nature of Documents to be Filed."
• Font: Civil Local Rule 5.1(a) requires typewritten text to be no smaller than 10-point Courier or equivalent and word-processed proportional text to be no smaller than 14-point standard font such as Times New Roman. Footnotes and quotations must conform to the same font requirements.
• Spacing and lines: Civil Local Rule 5.1(a) requires filed documents, including exhibits where practicable, to be double-spaced, line-numbered in the left margin, letter size, and limited to no more than 28 lines per page.
• Page number: Civil Local Rule 5.1(b) requires the case number in the lower right corner of each page, except on the title page or on the complaint, petition, or other case-opening document.
• Binding: Civil Local Rule 5.1(d) requires paper filings and lodged documents to be two-hole punched at the top and firmly bound at the top.
• Exhibits: Civil Local Rule 5.1(e) governs exhibit pagination, exhibit numbering, exhibit attachment, exhibit tables of contents, and tab placement.
• Title page: Civil Local Rule 5.1(i) governs attorney or pro se party information, clerk stamp space, court title, action title, action number, document designation, jury-demand notation, and motion hearing information.
• Pleading paragraphs: Civil Local Rule 5.1(j) requires numbered paragraphs in pleadings seeking relief and corresponding numbered paragraphs in responsive pleadings.
• Separate documents and captions: Civil Local Rule 5.1(l) requires documents to be filed and captioned separately and requires double captions for cross-complaints, counterclaims, third-party complaints, and responses to those pleadings.
• Electronic filing: Civil Local Rule 5.4 governs electronic filing and the official electronic court record.
• Motion briefs: Civil Local Rule 7.1(h) limits motion and opposition briefing to 25 pages per party and reply memoranda to 10 pages unless otherwise ordered.

Southern District Font, Spacing, Line Numbering, and Exhibits

The Southern District's main formatting rule is Civil Local Rule 5.1. Civil Local Rule 5.1(a) requires each filed document, including exhibits where practicable, to be in English, plainly written, or typed double-spaced on one side of the document, line-numbered in the left margin with not more than 28 lines per page, and letter size. Paper-format documents must be flat and unfolded, without a backing sheet, on opaque, unglazed white paper.

The same rule distinguishes typewritten and word-processed text. Typewritten text must be no smaller than 10-point Courier or equivalent, spaced 10 characters per horizontal inch. Printed text produced on a word processor or other computer may be proportionally spaced with 28 lines on one side of the document, provided the type is no smaller than 14-point standard font, such as Times New Roman. Footnotes and quotations must conform to the same font requirements. Quotations longer than three lines must be indented and single-spaced.

Civil Local Rule 5.1(b) requires the case number to appear in the lower right corner of each page, although not on the title page or on the complaint, petition, or other document that opens the case. Civil Local Rule 5.1(d) requires paper filings and lodged documents to be two-hole punched at the top, without attachments affixed to pages, and firmly bound at the top.

Civil Local Rule 5.1(e) governs exhibits. Except where compliance is impracticable, exhibits must be paged in consecutive numerical order and each page must show the exhibit number immediately above or below the page number. Exhibits generally must be attached to the documents to which they belong and readable without detaching them. Each document containing exhibits must have, as a cover page to the exhibits, a table of contents showing the page number of each succeeding exhibit. If exhibits are tabbed, the tabs must be at the bottom, not the sides.

Southern District Title Page, Pleadings, ECF, and Brief Limits

Civil Local Rule 5.1(i) specifies title-page content. The attorney or pro se party information must appear to the left of the page's center beginning at line one. The space to the right of center is reserved for the clerk's filing stamp. The title of the court must begin at or below line eight. The action title appears below and to the left of the court title. To the right of center appear the action number, a brief designation of the document's nature, mention of any motion, affidavits, or memorandum in support, and "Demand for Jury Trial," if any. For each motion, opposition, and reply, the cover page must also show the judicial officer, courtroom number, and hearing date and time in the space opposite the caption below the case number.

Civil Local Rule 5.1(j) has its own pleading-paragraph rule. Averments in any pleading seeking relief must be made in numbered paragraphs, each limited as far as practicable to a statement of a single set of circumstances. Responsive pleadings must contain numbered paragraphs corresponding to the paragraphs being answered.

Civil Local Rule 5.1(l) requires documents to be filed and captioned separately. It also requires double captions for cross-complaints, counterclaims, third-party complaints, and responses to those pleadings.

Electronic filing is governed by Civil Local Rule 5.4. Unless a local rule, order, or other procedure provides otherwise, cases are assigned to the court's Electronic Filing System, and attorneys admitted to practice before the Southern District must register for electronic filing. Electronic transmission of a document in the required manner, together with the Notice of Electronic Filing, constitutes filing for purposes of the federal rules and local rules. The official court record is the electronic file maintained on the court's servers.

Motion-practice page limits are in Civil Local Rule 7.1(h). Briefs or memoranda in support of or opposition to all motions noticed for the same motion day may not exceed a total of 25 pages per party without leave of the judge. A reply memorandum may not exceed 10 pages without leave. Briefs and memoranda longer than 10 pages must have a table of contents and table of authorities.

What Is Actually Different About California Federal Filing Format

The most important difference from many federal courts is that California federal filings often retain a pleading-paper structure. The Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southern District rules all address numbered lines. The Central, Northern, and Southern Districts expressly use a 28-line-per-page framework. The Eastern District requires numbered lines in the left margin and requires electronic filings to match the appearance and presentation of conventionally filed paper documents.

Font size is not uniform. The Central District requires 14-point or larger standard proportional font unless the court orders otherwise. The Southern District similarly requires word-processed proportional text to be no smaller than 14-point standard font. The Northern District allows 12-point or larger standard proportional font unless a judge's standing order or other court instruction requires otherwise. In the Eastern District local formatting rules reviewed here, the general format rule specifies paper, line numbering, spacing, pagination, and caption placement, but does not state a general font-size rule comparable to the Central, Northern, or Southern District provisions.

The caption is also not just a generic federal caption. FRCP 10 supplies the federal minimum, but the California districts add first-page layout rules. The Central District's title-page requirements are in Local Rule 11-3.8. The Northern District's are in Civil Local Rule 3-4(a). The Eastern District's are in Local Rule 133(g). The Southern District's are in Civil Local Rule 5.1(i).

Brief limits also vary. The Central District uses a 7,000-word limit for memoranda of points and authorities and briefs under Local Rule 11-6.1. The Northern District uses page limits: 25 pages for moving and opposition briefs and 15 pages for replies under Civil Local Rule 7-4(b). The Southern District uses 25 pages for motion and opposition briefing and 10 pages for replies under Civil Local Rule 7.1(h). The Eastern District rule reviewed here requires tables for briefs over 15 pages, but the general formatting provisions do not state the same kind of universal motion-brief word or page limit found in the other three districts.

The result is that "California federal format" is not a single template. It is a district-specific set of typography, line-numbering, caption, signature, exhibit, and electronic-filing rules. The federal rules supply the pleading baseline, but the local rules determine what the document needs to look like when it is filed.

That is the gap DocketDrafter's AI pleading formatter is built around. Drafting text is only part of the job. The filed document still has to satisfy the court's mechanical requirements: caption placement, line numbering, spacing, page numbering, signature blocks, exhibits, tables, and PDF formatting.

FAQ

What are the local formatting rules for pleadings in the Northern District of California federal court?

For Northern District of California civil pleadings, start with Civil Local Rule 3-4. The rule requires first-page counsel or pro se party information, court title, action title, case number, paper title, numbered lines, double spacing, no more than 28 lines per page, and a footer with the paper title or abbreviation and case number after assignment. Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(2) requires a standard proportionally spaced font such as Times New Roman or Century Schoolbook, 12-point type or larger, unless a judge's standing order or other court instruction requires otherwise.

Does the Northern District of California require 28-line pleading paper?

Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(2) requires double-spaced text with no more than 28 lines per page, with exceptions for counsel identification, the title of the case, footnotes, and quotations. Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(1) also requires manually filed papers to have numbered lines.

What font size is required in the Northern District of California?

Unless a judge's standing order or other court instruction requires otherwise, Civil Local Rule 3-4(c)(2) requires Northern District text, including footnotes and quotations, to be in a standard proportionally spaced font such as Times New Roman or Century Schoolbook, 12-point type or larger, and spaced no more than 10 characters per horizontal inch.

Are Northern District of California motion briefs limited by pages or words?

Northern District motion briefs are limited by pages, not words, under Civil Local Rule 7-4(b). Unless the court orders otherwise, moving and opposition briefs may not exceed 25 pages of text, and reply briefs may not exceed 15 pages of text.

Which California federal districts require 14-point font?

The Central District requires standard, non-condensed proportional font of 14-point or larger unless the court orders otherwise. The Southern District requires word-processed proportional text to be no smaller than 14-point standard font such as Times New Roman. The Northern District generally allows 12-point or larger standard proportional font unless otherwise ordered. The Eastern District general formatting rule reviewed here does not state a comparable districtwide font-size requirement.

Do California federal civil filings need numbered lines?

Yes, the California federal district rules reviewed here all address numbered lines. The Central, Northern, and Southern Districts expressly use a no-more-than-28-lines-per-page framework. The Eastern District requires numbered lines in the left margin for conventionally filed documents, lodged documents, and chambers courtesy copies, and requires electronic filings to match the appearance and presentation of conventionally filed paper documents.

Are judge standing orders part of California federal formatting rules?

Judge standing orders are not covered by this guide, but they can change or add formatting requirements. Always check the assigned judge's standing orders, individual practices, and any case-specific orders before filing.

Primary Source Index