The United States District Court for the Northern District of California supports transparency and access for journalists covering federal court proceedings, dockets, and documents. Nevertheless, neither individual judges nor the court's Media Liaison will comment on pending cases. For case-specific inquiries, contact the attorneys listed on the case docket.
The Court does not issue press releases. The court's homepage contains periodic updates and news.
Contacting the Court
Journalists should not contact a judge’s chambers, courtroom deputy, or docket clerk directly for any reason.
- Use the court’s website to find procedural and calendar information.
- Direct all other inquiries—including interview requests—to the Media Liaison.
Attending Court Proceedings
All proceedings are open to the public and media unless otherwise specified. To find the date and time of a specific hearing, visit the Judge's Weekly Calendar page.
Seating in courtrooms is first-come, first-served. Seats are not reserved for the media.
- During high-interest proceedings, the Court may provide a live A/V feed to an overflow courtroom or the Media Center (San Francisco).
- Zoom access to civil (not criminal) proceedings may be requested.
- The Cameras in the Courtroom Pilot Project allows court proceedings to be video-recorded by court staff if approved by the judge and all parties involved.
All visitors entering a federal courthouse must present a valid, government-issued photo ID (driver’s license or passport).
Use of Electronic Devices and Recording Equipment
Phones and laptops may be brought into the courthouse and into courtrooms. Please note the following:
- Prohibition on photography: No photography, recording, or broadcasting is permitted inside the courthouse or courtrooms under any circumstances, including of proceedings being viewed via Zoom.
- Device screening: All electronic devices are screened by court security. Devices may be barred if deemed a security risk.
- Media Room (San Francisco): Available for interviews and press conferences.
Accessing Case Documents & Transcripts
View a dynamic list of new filings in the Northern District of California.
The electronic docket is available through PACER, which includes:
- Names of all parties and attorneys of record
- Contact information for attorneys
- A complete list of all documents filed in the case, including filer and filing date
You may register for PACER as a non-attorney. Indicate during registration that you are a member of the media or individual interested in connecting to the Northern District of California. Once you have a PACER account and a connected Northern District of California ECF account, you can indicate in ECF "Utilities" which cases you'd like notifications for.
Transcripts may be viewed in person at the courthouse or purchased directly from court reporters. In proceedings without court reporters, audio recordings may be available. Instructions for ordering transcripts or audio recordings are available here.