What are local rules of court, and where do I find them?

By Shaun Patrick Stewart Updated 27 October 2026 Built from the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 28 U.S.C. § 2071

The short answer

Local rules are rules that one court adopts for its own cases, on top of the rules that apply across that court system. In federal court, each district court can write local rules as long as they are consistent with federal law and the national rules. Federal district courts must make them public, and most post them on their websites. Many judges also post their own standing orders and practice requirements for the cases assigned to them, so read those as well.

This page is general information about how court rules fit together. It is not legal advice about your case.

Local rules in short

The national rules, like the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, govern civil cases in the federal district courts. Local rules add details for one court.
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 83 lets each district court adopt local rules, and says they must be consistent with, but not duplicate, federal statutes and the national rules.
Many state court systems also have local rules for a county, circuit or district. Each state is different.
Local rules often cover formatting, page limits, talking to the other side before certain motions, and how papers get filed.
On top of the local rules, a judge may have standing orders or practice requirements.
Read your court’s local rules, and your judge’s orders, before you file.

What are local rules?

Every court system has a main set of rules. In federal civil cases, that is the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, often shortened to FRCP. Rule 1 says these rules “govern the procedure in all civil actions and proceedings in the United States district courts, except as stated in Rule 81.”

The national rules leave many small questions open. What font should a brief use? How long can it be? Do you call the other side before filing a motion? Each court answers questions like these in its own local rules. A few national rules even hand a choice to each court. For example, Rule 5(d)(3)(B)(i) says a person without a lawyer “may file electronically only if allowed by court order or by local rule.”

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 83(a)(1) gives district courts the power to make local rules: “After giving public notice and an opportunity for comment, a district court, acting by a majority of its district judges, may adopt and amend rules governing its practice. A local rule must be consistent with—but not duplicate—federal statutes and rules adopted under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2072 and 2075, and must conform to any uniform numbering system prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United States.”

The same rule says a local rule “takes effect on the date specified by the district court and remains in effect unless amended by the court or abrogated by the judicial council of the circuit.” (“Abrogated” means canceled.) It also says copies must “be made available to the public.”

A federal statute says much the same thing. Under 28 U.S.C. § 2071(a), courts “may from time to time prescribe rules for the conduct of their business,” and “Such rules shall be consistent with Acts of Congress and rules of practice and procedure prescribed under section 2072 of this title.”

How do local rules relate to the national rules?

Think of layers. Federal statutes and the national rules come first. The local rules of your court must be consistent with them. A judge’s own procedures must be consistent with both. And an order entered in your own case can set specific rules for that case.

The layers of rules in a federal civil case
Layer	Who makes it	Where it applies
Federal statutes and the national rules	Congress passes the statutes; the Supreme Court prescribes the national rules (28 U.S.C. § 2072)	Every federal district court
Local rules	One district court, by a majority of its district judges	Cases in that court
Standing orders and practice requirements	The whole court, or one judge	Many cases, or every case assigned to that judge
Orders in your case	The judge in your case	Your case only

A local rule usually fills a gap rather than changing a national rule. Rule 83 says a local rule “must be consistent with—but not duplicate” federal statutes and the national rules.

Rule 83 also covers honest mistakes on form. Rule 83(a)(2) says: “A local rule imposing a requirement of form must not be enforced in a way that causes a party to lose any right because of a nonwillful failure to comply.” A “requirement of form” is a rule about how a paper looks, such as margins or font. “Nonwillful” means not on purpose.

This does not mean form rules are optional. In federal court, Rule 5(d)(4) says “The clerk must not refuse to file a paper solely because it is not in the form prescribed by these rules or by a local rule or practice.” But a judge may still order you to fix a paper, and that costs time.

State courts have their own versions of this setup. Many states let each county, circuit or district court adopt local rules, and the state’s own rules say how. Do not assume a federal rule or another state’s rule applies in your state court.

What are standing orders and judges’ practice requirements?

A standing order is an order that applies to many cases, not just one. Some come from the whole court. Others come from one judge and apply to every case assigned to that judge. Many judges also post “practice requirements,” “procedures” or “preferences” for their courtroom.

Rule 83(b) covers what a judge may do when no rule controls: “A judge may regulate practice in any manner consistent with federal law, rules adopted under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2072 and 2075, and the district’s local rules. No sanction or other disadvantage may be imposed for noncompliance with any requirement not in federal law, federal rules, or the local rules unless the alleged violator has been furnished in the particular case with actual notice of the requirement.”

Where do I find a court’s local rules?

Federal district courts must make their local rules available to the public, and most post them on their websites. Many state courts do too.

Find your court’s website. For a federal court, use the Find a Federal Court tool on the U.S. Courts website, or see the court directory. For a state court, start with the state’s court rules (see court rules by state), then the website of the county or circuit court where your case is. Appellate courts have local rules too (see how to write an appellate brief).
Open the court’s rules page. Look for a page called “Local Rules,” “Rules and Orders,” or “Rules and Procedures.” A district court’s site often splits its local rules into civil, criminal and other sets, plus general orders, which are orders from the whole court about how it runs.
Check the judge’s own page. Many federal courts have a page for each judge, under a heading like “Judges” or “Judges’ Procedures.” Standing orders and practice requirements usually live there.
Check the date on your copy. Courts amend local rules, and an old PDF saved on another website may be out of date.
Ask the clerk if you cannot find something. Clerk’s office staff generally cannot give legal advice, but many can tell you where the rules are posted and which version is current.

What do local rules usually cover?

Every court is different, so read your own court’s rules for the real answer. These are topics many local rules address:

Formatting. Font and type size, line spacing, margins, page numbering, and the caption, which is the heading at the top of a court paper.
Length. Page or word limits for motions and briefs, and how to ask for more.
Conferring before motions. Many local rules ask the parties to talk and try to settle the issue before certain motions. Some also ask the motion to say that they did.
Filing method. Whether papers must be filed electronically, how a self-represented person can file on paper, and whether extra paper copies (courtesy copies) go to the judge.
Motion practice. Whether a proposed order is required, how hearings are set, and the timing for a response and a reply.
Discovery. How disputes about exchanging information must be raised.
Other items. Sealed filings, exhibits, which lawyers may practice in that court (attorney admission), and courtroom conduct.

Some local rules set their own deadlines and page limits. Use the exact number in your court’s current rule, not a number from another court or another case. How these rules shape a motion step by step is covered in how to file a motion.

Why does reading the local rules matter?

Local rules affect how a judge receives your paper. If a motion ignores a page limit or skips a required conference with the other side, the judge may order it fixed. What a court does next depends on the court and the rule. Fixing it costs time, and sometimes a deadline passes in the meantime.

Local rules can also set things the national rules leave open, such as a response deadline or a step before a hearing. Reading them early is one of the simplest ways to avoid a problem you cannot undo.

Common mistakes with local rules

Reading only the national rules and skipping the local rules.
Reading the local rules but not the assigned judge’s standing orders or practice requirements.
Using another court’s local rules, or a state rule in federal court.
Relying on an old copy instead of the current version on the court’s website.
Assuming a page limit or deadline from another case applies in yours.
Skipping a required conference with the other side before filing a motion.
Missing an order entered in your own case that changes the usual rules.

Where does software fit when you file in court?

Legal Ops Depot is AI litigation software with a law library of about 10 million court decisions, plus statutes, regulations and court rules, including the national rules. The software drafts filings at your direction, and every citation is checked against the law library. You review it, sign it and file it.

Before you file, read your court’s local rules and your judge’s orders, as this guide explains. For the parts of a motion and how one is filed, see how to file a motion.

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Legal Ops Depot is not a law firm. It does not represent you, does not appear in court, and does not file anything for you. Nothing here is legal advice, and no one can promise a result.

Official resources for finding local rules

Your own court’s current local rules, posted on its own website, are the copy to rely on.

Finding a federal court’s local rules

Find a Federal CourtU.S. Courts, each court’s own site and local rules
Current federal rulesOfficial text of the national rules, including Rule 83

The law behind local rules

28 U.S.C. § 2071Rule-making power generally

In this law library

Court rules by stateLinks to each state judiciary’s official rules pages
Court directoryFederal and state courts

Rules and statutes cited on this page

Fed. R. Civ. P. 1 · Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(d)(3)(B)(i), 5(d)(4) · Fed. R. Civ. P. 83 · 28 U.S.C. § 2071 · 28 U.S.C. § 2072

How do I file a motion in court? · How do I write an appellate brief? · What is a civil cover sheet? · Can’t afford a lawyer? Free legal help

Not a law firm. Not legal advice. You remain the filer. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Legal Ops Depot is software and a law library, not a law firm. It drafts court papers at your direction and makes no promise or prediction about any result. You review, sign and file the papers yourself, and you are responsible for what you file. For advice about your own case, contact a legal aid office or a licensed lawyer in your state (see can’t afford a lawyer).