Judge Lynette Gridiron Winston
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Large Files, Voluminous Documents
- 1 copy
Papers Filed Within 5 Calendar Days Of Hearing
- 1 copy • Email • Immediately Upon Filing
All filings
Court-wide- Chambers Drop Off • Upon Filing
- Hand Delivery
Courtesy copies
Court-wide- 3 copies
Adjournments
- Trial continuance requests are disfavored and must include a showing of good cause plus a statement from each party that all experts, percipient witnesses, and principals will be available on the proposed trial date.
- Counsel must advise the Court well in advance if special circumstances require an adjustment to the five-day-per-week trial schedule.
Request must include
Communication
Clerk
Phone
Chambers
Chambers
Chambers
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Phone
Court-widePhone
Court-wideClerk
Page & Word Limits1 rule
Opening and responding memorandums are limited to 15 pages and reply and closing memorandums are limited to 10 pages, though parties are admonished to keep briefs concise and need not use the maximum.
While opening and responding memorandums may be up to 15 pages long or reply and closing memorandums may be up to 10 pages long per CRC 3.1113(d), that does not mean the maximum page limit must be used.
Opening Or Responding Memorandum
15 pages
Reply Or Closing Memorandum
10 pages
Document Format Requirements1 rule
The verdict form submitted to the clerk must be in MS Word format.
Please also submit the Verdict Form to the clerk via email (WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org) in MS Word format.
DOCX
Document Filing Requirements4 rules
Parties must file a joint proposed general or special verdict form, or, if they cannot agree, each party must separately file its own proposed verdict form.
The parties shall prepare and file a joint proposed general verdict form or special verdict form. The parties are urged to agree on a verdict form. If the parties cannot agree on a joint verdict form, each party must separately file a proposed verdict form.
Document Type
Verdict Form
The parties must prepare and file a joint list of voir dire questions to be asked by the Court.
The parties shall prepare and file a joint list of questions to be asked by the Court.
Document Type
Voir Dire Questions
Parties must provide a court reporter for court and jury trials or submit daily agreed/proposed settled statements during trial, with Real Time reporting preferred.
YOU MUST PROVIDE A COURT REPORTER FOR TRIAL (COURT AND JURY TRIAL) OR SUBMIT DAILY AGREED STATEMENTS / PROPOSED SETTLED STATEMENTS during a trial. Refer to the LASC Court website for policy, assignment list and stipulation forms. Real Time reporting is preferred for trials.
Document Type
Court Reporter Or Daily Statements
Agreed jury instructions must be filed jointly, fully filled out and organized in numerical order, while non-agreed instructions must be filed separately identifying the requesting party.
a copy of all requested instructions fully filled out, organized in numerical order. Those instructions not agreed upon should be filed separately and the party making the request should be identified.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
All papers filed by represented litigants must be filed electronically unless the document is exempt from e-filing.
All papers filed by represented litigants must be filed electronically, unless the document is exempt from e-filing.
Page 1 | FILINGS
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Written opposition to an ex parte application must be electronically filed by 8:30 a.m. on the day of the hearing.
Any written opposition to an ex parte application shall be electronically filed and e-served by 8:30 a.m. the day of the hearing.
Page 1 | EX PARTE APPLICATIONS
Ex parte applications must be electronically filed by 10:00 a.m. the business day before the hearing.
Ex parte applications must comply with CRC 3.1200 et seq. and must be electronically filed by 10:00 a.m. the business day before the hearing and served by email on all parties who have appeared in the case.
Page 1 | EX PARTE APPLICATIONS
Scheduling or participating in an IDC does not extend discovery-motion filing deadlines, so the Court urges the parties to stipulate to extend the deadline to allow IDC participation.
Scheduling or participating in an IDC does not extend any deadlines for filing discovery motions. Thus, the Court urges the parties to stipulate to extend the deadline to file the discovery motions to allow the parties to participate in the IDC and avoid the unnecessary filing of the discovery motions.
Page 3 | Informal Discovery Conferences / Motions to Compel Furthers
The parties must meet and confer to create a final set of jury instructions no later than two days before the conclusion of evidence.
Not later than two days before the conclusion of evidence, the Court will require the parties to meet and confer to create a final set of instructions.
Page 7 | Final Status Conference Order
The Joint Trial Binder must be delivered to Department 6 three court days before the Final Status Conference.
The Court’s Joint Trial Binder shall be delivered to Department 6 three (3) court days before the FSC.
Page 7 | Final Status Conference Order
If no court reporter is provided, counsel must provide agreed or proposed daily statements on the morning following each day of trial, and less trial time will be allotted each day.
Should the parties not provide a court reporter, counsel will be required to provide agreed statements (CRC 8.836) or proposed statements (CRC 8.837) on the morning following each day of trial. In order to allow for preparation and meet and confer on daily statements, less trial time will be allotted each day if no court reporter is provided.
Page 9 | Final Status Conference Order / Trial Procedures
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Ex parte applications must be served by email on all parties who have appeared in the case.
Ex parte applications must comply with CRC 3.1200 et seq. and must be electronically filed by 10:00 a.m. the business day before the hearing and served by email on all parties who have appeared in the case.
Page 1 | EX PARTE APPLICATIONS
Written opposition to an ex parte application must be e-served by 8:30 a.m. on the day of the hearing.
Any written opposition to an ex parte application shall be electronically filed and e-served by 8:30 a.m. the day of the hearing.
Page 1 | EX PARTE APPLICATIONS
Filing Fees and Waivers
Jury fees must be paid daily, with a copy of the receipt given to the Judicial Assistant before the commencement of trial each day.
Jury Fees must be paid on a daily basis. The Judicial Assistant will advise you how much is owed each day. Jury fees must be paid and a copy of the receipt given to the Judicial Assistant before the commencement of trial each day.
Page 9 | Final Status Conference Order / Trial Procedures
Parties must arrange and pay for court reporters at their own expense to obtain transcripts of hearings or trial proceedings.
To obtain transcripts of a hearing or trial proceeding, parties must arrange and pay for Court Reporters at their own expense.
Page 9 | Final Status Conference Order / Trial Procedures
Courtesy Copy Requirements
A conformed courtesy copy must be emailed to the courtroom (WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org) immediately after filing for any papers filed within 5 calendar days of a hearing.
For any papers filed within 5 calendar days of a hearing, please send a courtesy conformed copy directly to the courtroom, via email to WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org, immediately following the filing of the original document.
Page 1 | FILINGS
Boxes of documents must not be sent to the courtroom; for large or voluminous documents, send a secure download link with conformed electronic copies to WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org or deliver a flash drive to the Courtroom Assistant or Judicial Assistant.
Please do not send boxes of documents to the courtroom. For large files and voluminous documents, please use a secure electronic server to send a download link containing conformed electronic copies of the applicable documents and files to WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org, or deliver a flash drive to the Courtroom Assistant or Judicial Assistant.
Page 1 | FILINGS
Sealing & Redaction Procedures
Unredacted copies of documents filed with the Court must be emailed directly to WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org or delivered on a flash drive to the Courtroom Assistant or Judicial Assistant.
For unredacted copies of documents filed with the Court, please email them directly to WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org, or deliver a flash drive to the Courtroom Assistant or Judicial Assistant.
Page 1 | FILINGS
Filing Bundling Requirements
Parties must prepare a tabbed Joint Trial Binder containing trial briefs, operative pleadings, motions in limine (numerical order with oppositions/replies), joint statement of the case, joint witness and exhibit lists, jury instructions, voir dire questions, and separately tabbed verdict forms.
The parties shall prepare a tabbed Joint Trial Binder for the Court to include the above-described trial briefs; operative pleadings; motions in limine in numerical order with opposition and reply for each number; joint statement of the case; joint witness list; joint exhibit list; jury instructions; voir dire questions; and verdict form(s) separately tabbed.
Page 7 | Final Status Conference Order
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Parties must meet and confer in person, by telephone, or by video conference before filing any motion, or the Court may continue the hearing.
Parties are required to meet and confer in person, by telephone, or by video conference before filing any motion. The Court may elect to continue a hearing on a motion where the parties have not met and conferred in advance.
Page 2 | MOTIONS
Parties must reserve a motion hearing date via the online Court Reservation System (CRS) before filing any motion papers, except ex parte motions.
Parties are required to obtain and reserve a motion hearing date via the online Court Reservation System (CRS) on the Los Angeles Superior Court website. Go to “LA Court Online, Court Reservation System” at http://www.lacourt.org to reserve a date before filing any motion papers (except ex parte motions).
Page 2 | MOTIONS
Discovery motions will not be heard until an IDC is conducted; except for good cause, motions filed before an IDC will be continued until after it, so the IDC should be scheduled promptly after the dispute emerges.
No motion to compel further discovery, or the other above-described discovery motions will be heard until an IDC is conducted so do not wait until the deadline to attempt to meet and confer. Except for good cause, motions filed before an IDC is conducted will be continued until after the IDC, which the parties should schedule as soon as possible after the dispute emerges.
Page 3 | Informal Discovery Conferences / Motions to Compel Furthers
Before filing any discovery motion, counsel must first meet and confer in good faith and, if the dispute is unresolved, request an Informal Discovery Conference by filing form LACIV 094 before filing the motion.
Should the parties wish to file a motion to compel further responses to discovery, or other discovery motions regarding depositions or subpoenas, at any time during the pendency of this case, counsel must first meet and confer in good faith either in person, telephonically or by video conference. If the parties are unable to resolve their discovery disputes, the Court requests that counsel schedule an Informal Discovery Conference (IDC) before filing any such discovery motions. Counsel must request an IDC by filing form LACIV 094 – Informal Discovery Conference and the responding counsel may file an Answer using the same form.
Page 3 | Informal Discovery Conferences / Motions to Compel Furthers
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Trial continuance requests are disfavored and must include a showing of good cause plus a statement from each party that all experts, percipient witnesses, and principals will be available on the proposed trial date.
Requests for a trial continuance are disfavored. Any request for a trial continuance must include the requisite showing of good cause, as well as a statement from each party that the proposed trial date is a date upon which all experts, percipient witnesses and principals will be available.
Page 3 | Requests for a Trial Continuance
Counsel must advise the Court well in advance if special circumstances require an adjustment to the five-day-per-week trial schedule.
Trials will be conducted five (5) days per week unless otherwise ordered and will convene promptly at the times previously set. Counsel should advise the Court well in advance if special circumstances require an adjustment to this schedule.
Page 8 | Trial Procedures
Chambers Communication Rules
A moving party who does not intend to proceed with a motion must immediately notify courtroom staff by telephone, notify opposing counsel/party, and cancel or postpone the reservation through CRS, or the motion may be ruled on or taken off-calendar.
If a moving party fails to appear, his or her motion or application may either be ruled upon, or taken off-calendar, at the Court’s discretion. If a party does not intend to proceed with a motion or intends to render a motion moot (e.g., filing an amended complaint in response to a demurrer), the moving party must immediately notify the courtroom staff by telephone, notify opposing counsel/party, AND cancel the reservation or postpone it through CRS. See CRC, Rule 3.1304(b).
Page 3 | Tentative Rulings – Withdrawal or Non-Appearance
A party submitting on a tentative ruling must notify courtroom staff by phone and immediately notify the other side it will not appear; the opposing party may still appear and argue, and a party with a same-day status conference must still appear for it.
notify courtroom staff by phone. If you submit on the tentative, you must immediately notify the other side that you will not appear at the hearing. If you submit on the tentative and elect not to appear at the hearing, the opposing party may nevertheless appear at the hearing and argue the motion(s). If your matter is scheduled for both a motion and some form of status conference on the same day, you may submit on the tentative, but you must appear (remotely or in person) to conduct the status conference.
Page 3 | Tentative Rulings
The verdict form must also be emailed to the clerk at WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org in MS Word format.
Please also submit the Verdict Form to the clerk via email (WCC-Dept6@lacourt.org) in MS Word format.
Page 7 | Final Status Conference Order
Parties may not contact courtroom staff to ask whether a tentative ruling will be issued; tentatives are normally posted the afternoon before the hearing but may be posted the morning of the hearing or not at all.
Please do not contact the courtroom staff to ask if a tentative ruling will be issued. Tentatives normally are posted by the afternoon before the hearing but may be posted on the morning of the hearing or not at all.
Page 2 | TENTATIVE RULINGS
If opposing counsel will not stipulate to extend the discovery-motion deadline and the deadline is forthcoming, counsel should call the courtroom to reserve a hearing date permitting the filing.
If opposing counsel declines to stipulate to extend the deadline to file a discovery motion and the deadline is forthcoming, counsel should call the courtroom to reserve a hearing date and allow for the filing of the discovery motion.
Page 3 | Informal Discovery Conferences / Motions to Compel Furthers
Parties may contact the Judicial Assistant or Courtroom Assistant to arrange the same hearing date for substantially similar or logically related motions.
If motions are to be filed that are substantially similar or logically should be heard on the same date (such as similar demurrers by multiple defendants or multiple discovery motions filed by the same party), parties may contact the Judicial Assistant or the Courtroom Assistant to arrange hearings on the same date.
Page 2 | MOTIONS