Court Rules

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 188 rules apply across Los Angeles Superior Court. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Filing Requirements

All 60
  • Applies to
    Joint isc statement

    Upon assignment to Department 11, an ISC Order stays all proceedings and the parties must submit a joint ISC statement as directed in that Order.

  • Applies to
    Joint status conference statement

    The parties must file a joint statement outlining recent progress in the case before every status conference.

  • Applies to
    Bulletin board posting

    Parties must make joint bulletin board postings rather than unilateral postings, which are treated as prohibited ex parte communications.

Filing Timing

All 28
  • Deadline
    5 business days

    The joint status conference statement must be filed at least five court days before every status conference.

  • The Court's order scheduling an IDC stays any deadline to file a motion to compel under CCP 2016.080(c)(2).

  • The Court cannot shorten the notice period for summary judgment/adjudication motions, though it may hear such motions fewer than 30 days before trial.

Communication

All 20
  • Contact
    Phone to chambers
    Phone
    (213) 310-7011

    To reserve a hearing date for a motion, a party must telephone the Courtroom Assistant at (213) 310-7011.

  • Contact
    Phone to chambers

    The moving party must notify the Court as early as possible that a matter will go off calendar under CRC 3.1306(b), by posting the announcement on the e-service bulletin board and telephoning the courtroom.

  • Contact
    Phone

    Parties at an impasse during a deposition may telephone the courtroom at (213) 310-7011 to arrange an immediate conference call with the Court.

Pre-Motion Conferences

All 18
  • For discovery disputes (other than deposition impasses), parties may request an informal conference by making a joint posting on the e-service bulletin board.

  • Before preparing an ex parte application for emergency relief, parties must post a joint request for an informal conference on the e-service bulletin board and contact courtroom staff to obtain a time and date.

  • Parties must meet and confer twice by telephone or video before requesting an IDC, and are expected to extend motion-to-compel deadlines to accommodate the process.

About Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury

Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury sits on the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, the state trial court serving Los Angeles County.

Judge Chowdhury's procedures are published through the court's general rules.

Common questions about Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's rules

Are courtesy copies required for Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

The rule limits courtesy-copy delivery rather than stating a blanket requirement before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury. Courtesy copies of filed documents are not required unless the Court specifically requests them, except for Informal Discovery Conference Statements and ex parte oppositions.

View ruleSource: page 2, section B. Courtesy Copies

Does Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury require a pre-motion conference or letter before filing a motion?

Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's rules set a pre-motion procedure for covered motions. Parties must obtain and schedule a motion hearing date through the online Court Reservation System (CRS) on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County website.

View ruleSource: page 4, section III. Pretrial Matters – B. Law And Motion

What page or word limits apply to IDC statement before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's rule states these limits: 2 pages; 5 pages. Excludes attachments. Individual IDC statements are limited to 2 pages and joint IDC statements to 5 pages (preferred), both filed without attachments.

View ruleSource: page 4, section III. Pretrial Matters – C. Discovery Motions—Informal Discovery Conferences

What page or word limits apply to IDC statement before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's rule states these limits: attorney: 2 pages; attorney: 5 pages. Excludes attachments. Individual IDC statements limited to 2 pages; joint IDC statements limited to 5 pages, both without attachments.

View ruleSource: page 4, section C. Discovery Motions—Informal Discovery Conferences

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's formatting rule includes file format docx and may alternatively be prepared on superior court of los angeles county form sclac laciv 129 in the same format. Proposed jury instructions must be prepared on Los Angeles Superior Court form SCLAC LACIV 129 or in a Word document in the same format.

View ruleSource: page 12, section F. JURY INSTRUCTIONS

What must be included with CMC statement filings before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Parties must file a CMC statement on Judicial Council Form CM-110 within five days of the case management conference hearing.

View ruleSource: page 3, section III. Pretrial Matters – A. Case Management Conferences

What must be included with ex parte application filings before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

The rule requires proposed order. Ex parte applications must include the notice in the declaration and present a proposed order with the moving papers.

View ruleSource: page 5, section III. Pretrial Matters — D. Ex Parte Applications

How may parties contact Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's chambers?

The rule addresses phone communications with Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury's chambers. The rule lists phone (818) 265-6423. The Department E courtroom can be reached by telephone at (818) 265-6423 during courtroom hours of 8:30 a.m.-Noon and 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Courtroom Information

How does Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury handle sealed or redacted filings?

A motion to seal is required for covered sealed filings before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury. A party seeking protection for the ordered discovery information must serve and file a proposed protective order within 5 days of the Order, and the parties must meet and confer on language, with the SCLAC standard Protective Order as the default.

View ruleSource: page 19, section III. Pretrial Matters

Does Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury require motion papers to be bundled?

Yes. Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury requires bundling for covered papers. Parties must submit a hard copy trial binder of the previously e-filed documents, organized under designated tabs A through J, no later than 3 calendar days before the Final Status Conference.

View ruleSource: page 5, section IV. Final Status Conferences

Is electronic filing required before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. Parties must electronically file the trial preparation documents (trial briefs, joint lists, jury instructions, verdict form, deposition designations, pleadings, and motions in limine) no later than 5 calendar days before the Final Status Conference.

View ruleSource: page 5, section IV. Final Status Conferences

Are filing fees or waivers addressed before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

A fee is required for covered filings. Jury fees must be paid daily, with the daily rate provided by the judicial assistant.

View ruleSource: page 6, section V. Trials — C. Jury Fees

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

The rule addresses filing timing, filing status, or cure windows. The CMC statement must be filed within five (5) days of the case management conference hearing.

View ruleSource: page 3, section III. Pretrial Matters – A. Case Management Conferences

What rule applies to service for complaint before Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: the opposing party. All defendants must be served with the complaint by the case management conference.

View ruleSource: page 3, section III. Pretrial Matters – A. Case Management Conferences
Complete rules summary for Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury

Courtesy copies of filed documents are not required unless the Court specifically requests them, except for Informal Discovery Conference Statements and ex parte oppositions.

The Department E courtroom can be reached by telephone at (818) 265-6423 during courtroom hours of 8:30 a.m.-Noon and 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

LACourtConnect technical issues should be resolved using the LACourtConnect website resources or the dedicated Service Desk at (213) 830-0400, available weekdays 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (excluding court holidays), and attorneys should do so before the appearance day.

A party with a fee waiver may request an official court reporter by filing form SCLAC LACIV 269 before the hearing or trial, while a party without a fee waiver may arrange a certified shorthand reporter to serve as official pro tempore reporter.

Parties must file a CMC statement on Judicial Council Form CM-110 within five days of the case management conference hearing.

The CMC statement must be filed within five (5) days of the case management conference hearing.

All defendants must be served with the complaint by the case management conference.

If any defendant remains unserved, plaintiff or plaintiff's counsel must submit a declaration to the court explaining what service efforts have been undertaken.

The declaration explaining service efforts must be submitted to the court five (5) days prior to the case management conference hearing.

Parties must obtain and schedule a motion hearing date through the online Court Reservation System (CRS) on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County website.

If both parties agree to submit on the tentative ruling, they may notify the Court by phone at (818) 265-6422, though if the other party does not agree, the Court may proceed with the hearing and issue a ruling different from the tentative.

Before filing any discovery motion, parties must first meet and confer and, if unresolved, the Court requests they schedule and participate in an Informal Discovery Conference (IDC) with the Courtroom Assistant.

Individual IDC statements are limited to 2 pages and joint IDC statements to 5 pages (preferred), both filed without attachments.

IDC statements must be filed and served five days before the Informal Discovery Conference.

Parties must provide the Court with hard-copy courtesy copies of the IDC statement on the day of filing.

The filing and notice deadline for ex parte applications is 10 a.m. on the court day prior to the hearing.

Ex parte applications must include the notice in the declaration and present a proposed order with the moving papers.

Self-represented litigants may file their ex parte application in paper at the Clerk's Office (Room 102) at 8:30 a.m. on the hearing day, but must still give proper notice.

Oppositions to ex parte applications must be e-filed no later than 8:30 a.m. on the day of the hearing.

Courtesy copies of ex parte oppositions are required directly in the courtroom.

Parties must electronically file the trial preparation documents (trial briefs, joint lists, jury instructions, verdict form, deposition designations, pleadings, and motions in limine) no later than 5 calendar days before the Final Status Conference.

The deadline to electronically file the FSC trial preparation documents is 5 calendar days before the Final Status Conference.

Parties must submit a hard copy trial binder of the previously e-filed documents, organized under designated tabs A through J, no later than 3 calendar days before the Final Status Conference.

The hard copy trial binder must be submitted to the Court no later than 3 calendar days before the Final Status Conference.

Parties without a court reporter must prepare a joint statement of each day's witness testimony at the close of the session and lodge it with the Court the next morning before proceedings resume — no exceptions.

Jury fees must be paid daily, with the daily rate provided by the judicial assistant.

Deposition transcripts and discovery responses must be lodged with the Court before trial begins.

Before reading deposition, interrogatory, or request-for-admission material into evidence, the party must notify the Court and opposing party of the specific page/line or numbers to be used.

PowerPoint slides must be provided to opposing counsel before the presentation, leaving sufficient time to object.

Visual aids or graphic devices intended for closing argument must be shown to the opposing party before closing argument.

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