Judge Joseph C. Spero
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
Adjournments
- Requests to appear telephonically at a case management conference or hearing must be filed and served one week before the conference in accordance with Civil L.R. 16-10(a).
Communication
Chambers
Chambers
Chambers
Document Filing Requirements4 rules
In cases that are randomly assigned to Judge Spero for all purposes, a Consent or Declination to Magistrate Judge Jurisdiction form will be mailed to all parties. The parties are requested, within two weeks from receipt of the form, to complete and file the form indicating their consent or request for reassignment to a District Judge.
DocumentConsent Form
As soon as a party has notice of this order, the party shall take such affirmative steps as are necessary to preserve evidence related to the issues presented by the action, including, without limitation, interdiction of any document destruction programs and any ongoing erasures of emails, voice mails, and other electronically recorded material to the extent Northern District of California necessary to preserve information relevant to the issues presented by this action.
Where a plaintiff seeks review of a decision by the Commissioner of Social Security denying plaintiff Social Security benefits, the parties should use only the initials of the plaintiff in their pleadings to protect the plaintiff’s privacy.
DocumentPleading
Parties may indicate pronouns and honorifics through confidential letter, docket filing, or pleadings.
Litigants and lawyers may indicate their pronouns (e.g., she/her, he/him, they/their) and honorifics (e.g., Mr., Ms., Mx., Dr.) by mailing a confidential letter to Judge Spero’s chambers, filing a request on the case docket, or adding the information in the name block or signature line of the pleadings.
DocumentPleading
Filing & Service rules
Courtesy Copy Requirements
No paper courtesy copies; email courtesy copies and proposed orders to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov
Pursuant to General Order 72-3, no paper courtesy copies will be accepted by the undersigned unless the Court specifically orders that hard copies of a particular filing be provided. Instead, courtesy copies should be emailed to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov. In addition, any proposed stipulation or proposed order in a case subject to electronic filing shall be sent by email to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov. This address is to be used only for proposed orders and courtesy copies unless otherwise directed by the Court.
Page 1 | C. CHAMBERS COPIES
No paper courtesy copies accepted; email courtesy copies to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov instead.
Pursuant to General Order 72-3, no paper courtesy copies will be accepted by the undersigned unless the Court specifically orders that hard copies of a particular filing be provided. Instead, courtesy copies should be emailed to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov.
Page 1 | C. CHAMBERS COPIES
Sealing & Redaction Procedures
In Social Security cases, parties should use only the plaintiff's initials in pleadings to protect privacy.
Where a plaintiff seeks review of a decision by the Commissioner of Social Security denying plaintiff Social Security benefits, the parties should use only the initials of the plaintiff in their pleadings to protect the plaintiff’s privacy.
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
In lieu of filing formal discovery motions, the parties involved in the discovery dispute (through lead trial counsel for any party that is represented by counsel) shall meet and confer by video conference regarding the subject matter of the dispute(s) in an effort to resolve these matters. After attempting other means to confer on the issue (i.e. letter, phone call, e-mail) any party may demand such a meeting on five business days’ notice. Within five business days of the meet-and-confer session, the parties shall provide a detailed Joint Letter to the Court, not to exceed five pages without leave of Court. This Joint Letter shall include a description of every issue in dispute and, with respect to each such issue, a detailed summary of each party’s final substantive position and their final proposed compromise on each issue.
In lieu of filing formal discovery motions, the parties involved in the discovery dispute (through lead trial counsel for any party that is represented by counsel) shall meet and confer by video conference regarding the subject matter of the dispute(s) in an effort to resolve these matters. After attempting other means to confer on the issue (i.e. letter, phone call, e-mail) any party may demand such a meeting on five business days’ notice. Within five business days of the meet-and-confer session, the parties shall provide a detailed Joint Letter to the Court, not to exceed five pages without leave of Court. This Joint Letter shall include a description of every issue in dispute and, with respect to each such issue, a detailed summary of each party’s final substantive position and their final proposed compromise on each issue.
Page 2 | E. DISCOVERY DISPUTES
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Requests to appear telephonically at a case management conference or hearing must be filed and served one week before the conference in accordance with Civil L.R. 16-10(a).
Requests to appear telephonically at a case management conference or hearing must be filed and served one week before the conference in accordance with Civil L.R. 16-10(a).
Page 1 | A. SCHEDULING HEARINGS AND CONFERENCES
Chambers Communication Rules
Proposed stipulations and orders must be sent by email to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov.
In addition, any proposed stipulation or proposed order in a case subject to electronic filing shall be sent by email to jcspo@cand.uscourts.gov. This address is to be used only for proposed orders and courtesy copies unless otherwise directed by the Court.
Page 1 | C. CHAMBERS COPIES
Settlement Conference Statements must be lodged via email to JCSsettlement@cand.uscourts.gov, not electronically filed.
Settlement Conference Statements must be LODGED with Chambers (NOT electronically filed). To lodge Settlement Conference Statements, parties should submitting them in .pdf format via email to JCSsettlement@cand.uscourts.gov. Pending further order of the Court, hard copies should not be lodged with Chambers.
Page 2 | Settlement Conference Statements
Case Management Conferences held Wednesdays at 2:00 PM; recording only if pro se party or specific request
Case Management Conferences and Pretrial Conference are heard on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. Case Management Conferences are not recorded unless at least one party in the case is appearing pro se or counsel makes a specific request at the commencement of the Case Management Conference that it be recorded.
Page 1 | A. SCHEDULING HEARINGS AND CONFERENCES
Criminal motions heard Wednesdays at 10:30 AM
Criminal Law and Motion is heard on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
Page 1 | A. SCHEDULING HEARINGS AND CONFERENCES
Parties should address all questions regarding scheduling to Judge Spero's courtroom deputy by emailing JCSCRD@cand.uscourts.gov.
Parties should address all questions regarding scheduling to Judge Spero's courtroom deputy by emailing JCSCRD@cand.uscourts.gov.
Page 1 | A. SCHEDULING HEARINGS AND CONFERENCES
Telephonic appearance requests suspended; all appearances by Zoom Webinar (ID: 161 926 0804, Password: 050855)
Requests to appear telephonically at a case management conference or hearing must be filed and served one week before the conference in accordance with Civil L.R. 16-10(a). This is suspended until further order of the Court. All appearances will be by Zoom Webinar unless the Court orders otherwise. Zoom Webinar ID: 161 926 0804. Password: 050855.
Page 1 | A. SCHEDULING HEARINGS AND CONFERENCES
Civil motions heard Wednesdays at 9:30 AM; no advance hearing date reservation needed
Civil Law and Motion is heard on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. Counsel should notice civil motions for hearing in accordance with the Civil Local Rules and need not reserve a hearing date in advance for civil motions. However, noticed dates may be reset as the Court’s calendar requires.
Page 1 | A. SCHEDULING HEARINGS AND CONFERENCES