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.

More categories

View all Los Angeles Superior Court rules
About Judge Lawrence P. Riff

Judge Lawrence P. Riff is a judge on the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, the state trial court serving Los Angeles County.

This judge's procedures are published through the court's general rules.

Common questions about Judge Lawrence P. Riff's rules

Are courtesy copies required for Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

Courtesy-copy rule applies for response to notice of related cases. Details: 1 copy, delivery upon filing, by email. A courtesy copy of any response to a Notice of Related Case must be submitted by email to the Department 534 resource account at SMCDept534@lacourt.ca.gov.

View ruleSource: page 5, section Notices of Related Cases

Does Judge Lawrence P. Riff require a pre-motion conference or letter before filing a motion?

Judge Lawrence P. Riff's rules set a pre-motion procedure for covered motions. Parties must reserve motion hearing dates for Department 534 master calendar motions through the online Court Reservation System (CRS) before the motion is heard.

View ruleSource: page 3, section Department 534 Master Calendar Motions

What must be included with stipulation and order filings before Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. A Stipulation and Order for a temporary judge must include a copy of the Temporary Judge's Oath of Office, Consent and Certification, and the Scope of Appointment.

View ruleSource: page 5, section Temporary Judge and Judicial Reference Stipulations

What must be included with request for trial court assignment filings before Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

The rule requires exhibit list, legal argument, and statement of facts. Before Department 534 will consider a request for assignment of a trial court, parties must represent the case is trial-ready with discovery complete and must have filed a brief statement of the case, joint witness and exhibit lists, trial briefs, jury instructions, special verdict forms, and motions in limine with oppositions and replies.

View ruleSource: page 7, section Assignment to a Trial Court

How may parties contact Judge Lawrence P. Riff's chambers?

The rule addresses email communications with Judge Lawrence P. Riff's chambers. The rule lists email SMCDept534@lacourt.ca.gov. Submissions to the Department 534 resource account (SMCDept534@lacourt.ca.gov) are limited to the materials expressly permitted by these procedures; no other materials may be sent without a court order.

View ruleSource: page 3, section Ex Parte Applications in Department 534

Does Judge Lawrence P. Riff require motion papers to be bundled?

Bundling is optional for covered papers before Judge Lawrence P. Riff. Physical notebooks or binders need not be lodged with Department 534 unless and until the department orders it.

View ruleSource: page 7, section Assignment to a Trial Court

Is electronic filing required before Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. Ex parte applications must be electronically filed, unless the litigant is exempt from mandatory electronic filing requirements.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Ex Parte Applications in Department 534

Are filing fees or waivers addressed before Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

A fee is required for covered filings. Motion fees must be paid at the time the motions are scheduled online via CRS.

View ruleSource: page 3, section Department 534 Master Calendar Motions

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

The rule states a 10:00 a.m. filing cutoff. Ex parte applications are heard at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and must be electronically filed by 10:00 a.m. the court day before the hearing.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Ex Parte Applications in Department 534

What rule applies to service for response to notice of related case before Judge Lawrence P. Riff?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: all parties. Responses to a Notice of Related Case must be filed and served in accordance with CRC 3.300(g).

View ruleSource: page 5, section Notices of Related Cases
Complete rules summary for Judge Lawrence P. Riff

Department 534 courtroom and phone hours are 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., reachable at (213) 633-0601.

Hearings and informal discovery conferences in cases assigned to Judge Riff for all purposes must be scheduled by calling the courtroom, and most are set on Thursdays.

Motions in cases assigned to Judge Riff for all purposes may not be scheduled through the Court Reservation System (CRS); parties must instead schedule by calling the courtroom.

Ex parte notice in Department 534 must comply with Los Angeles County local rules and the California Rules of Court.

In ex parte applications, the moving party's notice declaration must state whether opposition to the application is expected.

Ex parte applications must be electronically filed, unless the litigant is exempt from mandatory electronic filing requirements.

Ex parte applications are heard at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and must be electronically filed by 10:00 a.m. the court day before the hearing.

Written opposition to an ex parte application must be electronically filed by 8:30 a.m. on the day of the hearing.

Submissions to the Department 534 resource account (SMCDept534@lacourt.ca.gov) are limited to the materials expressly permitted by these procedures; no other materials may be sent without a court order.

Motion fees must be paid at the time the motions are scheduled online via CRS.

If a motion cannot be scheduled through CRS, the party must contact the Department 534 courtroom directly.

Cases must be submitted by email to the Department 534 resource account at SMCDept534@lacourt.ca.gov, and no other materials may be sent to that account except as provided without a court order.

Responses to a Notice of Related Case must be filed and served in accordance with CRC 3.300(g).

A courtesy copy of any response to a Notice of Related Case must be submitted by email to the Department 534 resource account at SMCDept534@lacourt.ca.gov.

The party who filed the Notice of Related Case will be notified of the Court's ruling by mail and must give notice of the ruling to all other parties.

A Stipulation and Order for a temporary judge must include a copy of the Temporary Judge's Oath of Office, Consent and Certification, and the Scope of Appointment.

Stipulation and Order fees must be paid before submission to Department 534, and a copy of the paid fee receipt must accompany the Stipulation.

A vexatious litigant's request to file new litigation must be presented in person at the filing window in the Stanley Mosk Clerk's Office for determination by the Supervising Judge of Department 534, with the ruling sent by U.S. Mail.

Requests to remove a person from the vexatious litigant list must be submitted to the judicial officer who made the declaration, or if that officer is no longer on the Court, presented at the Stanley Mosk Clerk's Office filing window for the Supervising Judge of Department 534, with the ruling sent by U.S. Mail.

Before Department 534 will consider a request for assignment of a trial court, parties must represent the case is trial-ready with discovery complete and must have filed a brief statement of the case, joint witness and exhibit lists, trial briefs, jury instructions, special verdict forms, and motions in limine with oppositions and replies.

Physical notebooks or binders need not be lodged with Department 534 unless and until the department orders it.

Voter confidentiality petitions must be filed using mandatory forms LASC CIV 273 (petition) and LASC CIV 274 (proposed order).

The Supervising Judge rules on voter confidentiality petitions without a hearing and the petitioner is notified of the ruling by U.S. Mail.

For all questions about Complex Cases—including the status of a complex case designation request—contact the Judicial Assistant to the Assistant Supervising Judge of Complex, Department 7, at (213) 310-7007, Spring Street Courthouse.

Parties must reserve motion hearing dates for Department 534 master calendar motions through the online Court Reservation System (CRS) before the motion is heard.

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