Los Angeles Superior Court Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICALCivil cases

All lead trial counsel must attend the final status conference in person.

All lead trial counsel to be present in-person at the FSC.

CRITICALCivil cases

Parties must attend Department 412 informal discovery conferences in person; LA Court Connect is not allowed without prior court leave.

LA Court Connect appearances are not allowed for Department 412 IDC’s without prior leave of court. All interested parties must appear in-person in Department 412.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone to clerk

Phone

562-256-2237

Please reserve a motion date by calling the Courtroom clerk at 562-256-2237.

Please reserve a motion date by calling the Courtroom clerk at 562-256-2237.

CRITICALCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Parties must check in with the Judicial Assistant between 8:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. on motion hearing days.

The parties must check in with the Judicial Assistant between 8:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. as the Court will take the bench at 9:00 a.m.

CRITICALCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

To schedule an informal discovery conference (IDC), counsel must first meet and confer on a date and then call the court to request an agreeable date.

To schedule an IDC, counsel must meet and confer on a date and then call the court to request an agreeable date.

CRITICALCivil cases

Contact

Letter fax

Faxes are accepted only with prior approval of the Court via fax number (562) 753-0675.

Fax#: (562) 753-0675. Faxes accepted with prior approval of the Court.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to clerk

At the end of each trial day, counsel must meet and confer and email the Judicial Assistant at comdeptp@lacourt.ca.gov an agreed-upon list of all exhibits admitted that day.

At the end of each trial day, counsel must meet and confer and submit to the Court’s Judicial Assistant via email at comdeptp@lacourt.ca.gov an agreed-upon list of all exhibits admitted that day.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

If no court reporter is used at trial, the parties must jointly prepare a daily proceedings summary, email it to the Court's resource account at comdeptp@lacourt.ca.gov by 7:30 p.m. each trial day, and lodge a physical copy in the courtroom the next morning.

The Court strongly encourages the parties to bring a court reporter for trial. If no court reporter is used, the parties must jointly prepare a summary of the day's proceedings, email a copy to the Court's resource account at comdeptp@lacourt.ca.gov by 7:30 p.m. each day of trial, and lodge a physical copy in the courtroom the next morning before proceedings resume.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Phone

(562) 256-2227

Plaintiff's counsel must call Department S27 at (562) 256-2227 by 3:00 p.m. on the court day before trial to confirm the trial is going forward.

Counsel for Plaintiff must call Department S27 at (562) 256-2227 by 3:00 p.m. on the court day preceding the trial date to confirm that the trial is going forward, so that a jury panel will not be ordered unnecessarily.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

Email communication with the court is prohibited unless explicitly directed by the court.

Communication with the court via email is NOT permitted, unless explicitly directed to do so.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Sanctions may be imposed against each counsel who fails to notify the court, before a prospective jury panel is requested, that the trial will not proceed due to settlement or dismissal.

Sanctions may be imposed against each counsel if parties do not inform the court, before a prospective jury panel is requested, that the trial is not going forward due to settlement or dismissal.

CRITICALCivil cases

Postings to the e-service provider bulletin boards, which communicate directly with the court, must be made jointly by the parties and not unilaterally to avoid unauthorized ex parte communications.

The e-service providers' bulletin boards provide a mechanism for immediate communication directly with the court. The court requires the parties to make joint, not unilateral, postings to avoid unauthorized ex parte communications.

CRITICALCivil cases

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties may not email the department without prior court approval, and the courtroom email is not regularly monitored.

From time to time counsel/parties may receive emails from the courtroom. However, you may not email the department without prior court approval. The courtroom email is not regularly monitored.

CRITICALCivil cases

If motions in limine will be numerous and time-consuming, the parties must contact the Dept. 508 courtroom assistant to schedule a separate hearing.

If the motions in limine will be numerous and time-consuming, the parties must contact the courtroom assistant in Dept. 508 to schedule a separate hearing for the motions in limine.

CRITICALCivil cases

Parties must obtain and reserve a motion hearing date and time through the online Court Reservation System, and motions are heard Monday through Friday.

Motions are heard on Monday through Friday. Parties must obtain and reserve a motion hearing date and time via the online Court Reservation System (CRS) on the L. A. Superior Court website.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

with the Court must be emailed to the Resource Account at smcdept506@lacourt.ca.gov with a cc to all Counsel/parties involved.

with the Court must be emailed to the Resource Account at smcdept506@lacourt.ca.gov with a cc to all Counsel/parties involved.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Law and motion hearing dates (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.) must be reserved by calling the courtroom because this department does not use the CRS Online reservation system.

All law and motion hearing dates must be reserved. Hearings are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. This department DOES NOT use the CRS Online reservations system. Please call the courtroom to reserve your hearing.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties must email an editable Word version of the jury instructions in the final format to be presented to the jury to the Court's resource account at SMCDept511@lacourt.ca.gov.

Please send an editable Word version to the Court's resource account (SMCDept511@lacourt.ca.gov) in the final format that will be actually presented to the jury.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Counsel intending to submit on a tentative ruling must email smcdept511@lacourt.ca.gov by 8:00 a.m. on the hearing day with the case number, submitting party identified, and a cc to opposing counsel; if all parties submit the tentative becomes the final order.

Counsel who intend to submit on the tentative shall send an email to the Court at smcdept511@lacourt.ca.gov by 8:00 a.m. the day of the hearing. The email shall include the case number and identify the party submitting, with a copy (cc) to opposing counsel. If all parties submit, the tentative ruling will become the final order. If any party does not submit, the matter will be called and the Court may modify its ruling. If no submissions are received and no appearances are made, the matter may be placed off calendar.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Counsel must call or email the Courtroom Assistant at SMCDEPT511@lacourt.ca.gov to schedule an informal discovery conference and be prepared with three possible dates.

Counsel shall call or email the Courtroom Assistant (SMCDEPT511@lacourt.ca.gov) to schedule an IDC. Please be prepared with three possible dates.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

A party who takes a motion off calendar on CRS must immediately notify Department 621 by telephone.

A party who takes a motion off calendar on CRS shall immediately notify Department 621 by telephone.

WARNING

Each party must promptly notify the Court and all other parties of any change in mailing address or other contact information, an obligation especially important for self-represented litigants.

It is each party's responsibility to promptly notify the Court and all other parties of any change in mailing address or other contact information. This obligation is especially important for self-represented litigants, who are responsible for ensuring that they receive all notices and communications regarding their case.

WARNING

Parties may not call the courtroom to reserve a motion hearing date; reservations must be made through the online Court Reservation System.

Please do not call the courtroom to reserve a motion date.

WARNING

Parties may submit on the tentative ruling by contacting the Judicial Assistant; if both parties agree to submit, the tentative ruling becomes the Court's order and no appearance is required.

The attorneys/self-represented litigants may submit on the tentative ruling by contacting the Judicial Assistant, and, if both parties agree to submit, then the tentative will become the Court's order, and no appearance at the hearing is necessary.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Counsel submitting on tentative ruling may email judicial assistant by 8am hearing day; email must include case number, party, cc opposing counsel.

Counsel who intend to submit on the tentative may call the courtroom or send an email to the Judicial Assistant by 8:00 a.m. the day of the hearing. The email must include the case number and identify the party submitting on the tentative with a copy (cc) to opposing counsel.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Counsel may submit on the tentative by calling the courtroom or emailing the Judicial Assistant by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the hearing.

Counsel who intend to submit on the tentative may call the courtroom or send an email to the Judicial Assistant by 8:00 a.m. the day of the hearing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Parties are asked not to call the clerk to ask the clerk for a continuance.

Parties are asked not to call the clerk to ask the clerk for a continuance.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

The Court may issue a tentative ruling before a motion hearing. Please do not contact the courtroom staff to ask if a tentative ruling will be issued.

The Court may issue a tentative ruling before a motion hearing. Please do not contact the courtroom staff to ask if a tentative ruling will be issued.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Email to clerk

The Verdict Form must also be emailed to the clerk at WCCDept1@lacourt.org in MS Word format.

Please also submit the Verdict Form to the clerk via email (WCCDept1@lacourt.org) in MS Word format.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

If opposing counsel declines to stipulate to extend the discovery motion deadline and the deadline is forthcoming, counsel should call the courtroom to reserve a hearing date.

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.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Please also call the courtroom so we are aware of the change.

Please also call the courtroom so we are aware of the change.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Tentative rulings are usually posted online the afternoon before the hearing, and parties must not call the department to inquire about the posting but should monitor the court's website.

Tentative rulings on motions are usually posted at www.lacourt.ca.gov the afternoon before the hearing. Do not call the department to inquire about the posting of the tentative. Not all tentative rulings are posted. Monitor the Court's website for the posting of the tentative ruling.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Parties must not call the courtroom to reserve a motion date; reservations are made only through CRS.

Please do not call the courtroom to reserve a motion date.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

If the meet-and-confer does not resolve the dispute, counsel should immediately call Department 14 to schedule an Informal Discovery Conference.

If the dispute remains unresolved, counsel should immediately call Department 14 to schedule an Informal Discovery Conference.

WARNING

Parties who will be late or need a matter on second call should contact court staff, and priority requests may be made with the Judicial Assistant.

If the parties and counsel are going to be late for a hearing or need a matter to be placed on second call, please contact the court staff. The parties and counsel may also ask for priority with the Judicial Assistant.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Court-certified interpreters are provided free of charge to limited-English-speaking litigants, must be requested via the court's website or by informing the Judicial Assistant as soon as possible, and must be used when presenting the case in court.

Court-certified language interpreters will be provided to limited English- speaking litigants free of charge. Please make the request at the court’s website at http://www.lacourt.ca.gov/irud/UI/ReqInput.aspx or inform the Judicial Assistant as soon as possible. When presenting your case in court, a court-certified language interpreter must be used.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties must email an editable Word version of the jury instructions in final presentation format to the court's resource account SMCDept300@lacourt.ca.gov.

Please send an editable Word version to the court's resource account SMCDept300@lacourt.ca.gov in the final format that will be actually presented to the jury.

WARNING

Parties must not contact the department to inquire about the status of proposed judgments or orders until the applicable holding period (10-15 days for judgments; 5-10 days for orders) has expired.

Prior to these time periods, please refrain from contacting the department to inquire on the status of your documents.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Emails to the Department 224 address receive a response only regarding tentative rulings; emails on any other subject will not be answered.

SMCDept224@lacourt.ca.gov (emails regarding anything other than tentative rulings will not receive a response)

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Parties must use CRS to continue or withdraw motions and must also telephone the courtroom so it is aware of any changes.

Parties must use CRS to continue or withdraw motions; please also telephone the courtroom so we are aware of any changes.

WARNING

After e-lodging a document that requires court action, parties should not call court staff about its status; they should follow the document's progress on the court's Website instead.

The court requests that, after the parties' counsel or any self-represented parties electronically lodge a document which requires action by the court (e.g., stipulation and proposed order, and proposed judgment), they please refrain from calling the court's staff to ask about the status of the document, and that they instead follow the document's progress on the court's Website (which the court updates as soon and as often as possible).

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Proposed sealing orders must be emailed to Department 735's email service account at least 15 days before the motion to seal hearing.

In conjunction with setting a hearing on a motion to seal, the moving party must file, serve, and email to Department 735's email service account (smcdept735@lacourt.org) a proposed sealing order that is MS-Word editable at least 15 days before the hearing on the motion to seal.

WARNINGCivil cases

If parties/counsel are going to be late for a hearing, please contact the court staff.

If parties/counsel are going to be late for a hearing, please contact the court staff.

WARNING

Parties may not call the courtroom to reserve motion dates; reservations must be made online through CRS.

Please do not call the courtroom to reserve a motion date.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

Phone

(818) 407-2249

Parties are requested to immediately notify the Clerk by phone at (818) 407-2249 upon settlement or resolution of the action.

The parties are also requested to notify the Clerk of this Court immediately by phone, (818) 407-2249, upon settlement or resolution of the action.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Counsel wishing to submit on a Tentative Ruling should email the courtroom at smcdept400@lacourt.ca.gov.

In matters for which a Tentative Ruling is provided, counsel wishing to submit on the Tentative should email the courtroom at smcdept400@lacourt.ca.gov.

WARNING

Counsel are expected to arrive promptly each morning at the time designated by the court the night before. Any anticipated disputes or evidentiary issues should be raised with the court as soon as counsel arrive in the morning.

Counsel are expected to arrive promptly each morning at the time designated by the court the night before. Any anticipated disputes or evidentiary issues should be raised with the court as soon as counsel arrive in the morning.