time to answer a motion in federal court
(CCP 437c(a).) An opposition to a motion for summary judgment must be filed and served at least 14 days (calendar days, not court days) before the hearing. Thus, the party opposing a motion for summary judgment in state court usually has at least two months to prepare. Of course, those two months are often spent conducting written discovery and depositions to use in the opposition. Still, two months is pretty generous. Not so in federal practice. The Federal Rules generally require that any motion, including a motion for summary judgment, must be served at least 14 days before the time set for hearing. (FRCP 6(c)(1).) However, most federal courts have local rules requiring longer notice.