Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero

Chambers Copy Requirements

The processing of unnecessary chambers copies wastes resources and burdens the court.  Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 5-1(d)(7), chambers copies should not be submitted unless required by the assigned judge’s standing order or specifically requested by the assigned judge.

Judges’ standing orders may include additional requirements and may differ from the local rules in other particulars.  If they are not in agreement, a judge’s standing order supersedes the local rules.

The pertinent parts of Judge Spero’s standing orders are set forth below:

Pursuant to General Order 72-3, no paper courtesy copies will be accepted by the undersigned pending further order of the Court. 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.

Delivery Address

About Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero

Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero was appointed in 1999, and served a Chief Magistrate Judge for eight years from 2015 to 2023.  He has presided as trial judge in criminal and civil cases in a variety of subject areas, including patent, employment, civil rights, fraud, contract, copyright, trademark, and federal misdemeanor cases. He has also served as a settlement judge in over 1500 cases.

Judge Spero currently serves on the Security, Conviction Alternative, and Non-appropriated Funds committees of the Court.  Over the past 25 years, he has also served on many other committees, including the Executive, Reentry, Diversion, and Technology committees. He also has served on various circuit and national committees including the Magistrate Judges Advisory Group of the Administrative Office of the Courts, and the Magistrate Judge Executive Board and Capital Case Committee of the Ninth Circuit.

A 1981 graduate of Columbia University School of Law, he clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He worked as an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and as associate then partner at Coblentz, Cahen, McCabe & Breyer (now Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass).

While in private practice, he trained as a mediator at Harvard Law School and served as a mediator in the Northern District’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. He also served as a Judge Pro-Tem for the San Francisco County Superior Court.

Judge Spero served as pro bono counsel in a variety of cases. He received the Thurgood Marshall Award from the Bar Association of the City of New York.