Can a federal judge dismiss a federal complaint for failure to conform to local rules?

Since the district judge had before him neither King as opposing party nor her opposition papers, he was empowered by Local Rules 7.6 and 7.10 to dismiss her complaint on those grounds. Because it is unclear whether the district court dismissed for failure to conform to the local rules or dismissed on the merits, in the interests of justice we review the dismissal of the federal claims as going to the merits. Such review is de novo. See Compton v. Ide, 732 F.2d 1429, 1432 (9th Cir.1984).